Working for the Man
by Donnamour1969
Summary: Flashback to 1969. Mick takes a job at Kostan Industries before he becomes a PI. Can Mick and Josef's friendship survive a boss-employee relationship? A stand-alone fic, rated T/M, for possible strong language and sex. Copyright intact.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Welcome to story number 13! I hope that's not an unlucky number in this case . This story could be a stand-alone story, but I was inspired to write it after a reader(thanks BlackPuma!) became interested in a throw-away line from my story "The Soldiers of Night," where I mentioned in passing that Mick once worked for Josef. Anyway, I was in the mood to write something a little lighter, so here is my first, all-flashback fic. If you haven't read my past stories (and I hope you try to later!) this takes place nearly twenty years after Mick was turned, before he became a private investigator. He and Coraline are estranged for the moment, and Mick is tired of working dead-end night jobs(so to speak). Here comes Josef, to the rescue. And it's my understanding from the show's history, that Mick didn't really give up freshies until after Beth's abduction by Coraline in the 1980's, so don't be too shocked if he "partakes" in this story. This fic won't be long—likely under five chapters; unless I just can't seem to stop myself. Sort of like with this introduction, lol.

Working for the Man, Chapter 1

_Los Angeles, 1969_

MICK

I was bussing a particularly messy table left by some teenagers when I caught the scent of a familiar vamp. I could smell his age even over the clashing fragrances of grilled hamburgers, onions, and cheap perfume. But just because I could smell him, didn't mean I was happy to see him.

Josef Kostan came into Gino's All-Night Diner, looking completely out of place in his high-dollar suit and conservative hair cut. Most of the dive's nightly patrons were drifters, long-haired teenagers, and night owls. It wasn't really a family establishment. Still, it helped pay the bills—usually. He sat down in the red Naugahyde booth next to the one I was cleaning. I picked up a saltshaker and it spilled all over the table. _Stupid kids._

"Shit," I said under my breath.

Josef grinned. He looked up at my attire—long white apron over my uniform blue oxford shirt with the cheesy red piping, navy blue slacks, and a lovely red and white paper hat over my shoulder-length, shaggy hair.

"Nice hat," he commented.

"Go to hell, Josef," I said softly so the two other diners in the restaurant wouldn't hear. It was two in the morning, and I still had four more hours until my shift was done. I began piling dishes and glasses into a plastic tub to take back to the kitchen to wash them. I wiped ketchup from my hands on the front of my apron in disgust. But despite my annoyance at Josef coming to observe my lowering in station, I hadn't seen him in awhile since I'd been working so much. I had to admit I'd missed him.

"So, what's there to eat in this fine establishment?" I gave him a look of supreme impatience. Of course there was nothing to eat here that he could possibly want.

"Menu's under the glass on the table," I said, humoring him so I wouldn't get fired. "You need to buy something if you're gonna sit here," I smirked, reciting diner policy.

Josef looked in distaste at the menu, then around the restaurant at the other two patrons. A trucker sat at the counter on a rotating bar stool, a woman who looked like a prostitute on break sat at a nearby booth.

"Tell you what—send each of my fellow customers a slice of your finest apple pie, on me. How's that?"

"Nice of you, but you should at least have something in front of your for appearance's sake, Josef."

He sighed, looking back down at the list of beverages. "You can't even get a beer here?"

"Nope. Soda pop, milkshakes, or coffee."

"Okay. A glass of water, if you please."

"I'm not a waiter."

About that time, Connie, the night shift waitress, came tiredly from refilling the trucker's coffee over to wait on Josef. When she caught sight of his classy suit and boyish good looks, she seemed to perk right up, unconsciously twirling her flipped up hairdo. Josef smiled and repeated his order to her, turning on all the charm. He even got Connie to smile—a feat I had yet to accomplish myself. She walked away to place his order, a new spring in her step beneath her blue and red work dress, Josef's eyes glued to her swaying ass.

"What do you want really?" I asked, wiping down the table. "Except to get your kicks laughing at the busboy and flirting with the waitress?"

"Have I laughed, once?"

At my look, he did laugh. "Mick, I've come to take you away from all this. You don't belong here."

I glanced at the order pick-up window, hoping my boss, Gino—also the cook—wouldn't notice I was fraternizing with a customer. I switched to vampire level speech.

"Unlike you, I'm not independently wealthy, Josef. There are only so many jobs that have a night shift that don't require an education. I've tried them all, too. Security guard, liquor store clerk, even medic for an ambulance. I'm workin' two jobs a week—this one and as a bouncer at a sleazy downtown club, on alternating nights. I'm trying to get a band started up again, but my old band mates are nearly twenty years older now, and I'm not. I feel so old next to the young guys around, the ones who aren't in Vietnam, that is. And you remember how bad our quartet _we_ started was? Maybe I should try a solo act." I sighed heavily, moving to the next table to wipe it down.

"What became of the ambulance gig? You were a medic in the War, right?"

"Yeah, but being around blood all the time was harder than I thought it would be; I'm still having trouble dealing with that. I didn't think the risk was worth the job. That _was _good money, though," I said regretfully. At this time I was a relatively young vampire, nearly twenty years turned, and while I had great self-control, even the oldest vamps are tempted around warmly flowing, fresh blood.

"I'd like to get an education, but I don't have the money to go to school."

"What about your mom?" Josef asked. My dad had passed away ten years before, and I still missed him every day.

"She just went into a nursing home. I had to sell her house for her to pay for it. Dad didn't leave her much. It's a good thing she's going blind, or I wouldn't be able to visit her anymore."

I hated even saying blindness was a good thing, but that allowed me to at least hold on to my mother for a while longer. But I was in a shitty mood, mad at Coraline for staying in England and letting me flounder here, penniless. I was staying in her old party house where we'd first met, but the electric bill was about to eat my lunch. Speaking of which, freshies weren't cheap either, and Red Cross blood just wasn't the same. I felt at loose ends and angry most of the time.

"Sorry to hear about your mom. You really are down on your luck these days. That's why I'm here, as I was saying. I'd like to help you, if you'll let me."

I took the dish tub back into the kitchen. "Can I have my break?" I asked Gino.

The short, mustachioed restaurateur nodded. "Yeah, it's slow. Take fifteen, then get back and wash these dishes."

"Yes sir." I pulled off my apron and hat and went back out front to sit across from Josef. We continued speaking below audible human levels.

"I'm not taking your money, Josef," I told him, having refused him countless times before. "I've just gotten out from under Coraline's thumb; I'm not ready to be under yours now too."

"I've given up trying to offer you cash, Mick. No, I'm giving you a chance to _earn_ it. Come work for me."

I looked at him in surprise. I'd never even considered that. He continued his hard sell.

"The pay would be great, you'd be able to stop this…_manual_ labor. I'd even help work out your hours so maybe you could go to night school, or start that singing career. What do you say?"

_Hmmm…working for Josef. I don't know._

"Would I have to call you boss?" I grinned.

"Only if you want to, or just _sir_…or _Mr. Kostan_," he replied dryly.

"And what would my job be? Would I get my own office?" This idea still seemed pretty farfetched. I had never been office material, and except for my stint in the Army, I hated taking orders. I couldn't imagine having to do what my best friend told me to do, even though he was always a fount of well-meaning advice.

Josef regarded me a minute, no doubt considering my personal characteristics, and character flaws.

"I have a few ideas for your job. And, I suppose I could find you an empty office. You'd have to wear a suit and tie, though. Still interested?"

"No way! Not a goddamn monkey suit! Come on, Josef, really? You know how much I hate wearing a suit. Ties are like nooses, man. I watched one slowly kill my father."

"Your father was an insurance salesman, Mick. You won't be in sales, I promise. Besides, it's not like you have to worry about heart problems." Well, I guess he was right there. But an office? In a suit?

"Josef, I swore I would never be like my father—"  
"And you won't," he interrupted. "Give it a chance. Hey, it'll be fun. I give breaks of a lot longer than fifteen minutes, and you should see the size of the…_refreshments_…" He used his hands to imitate an hourglass shape.

"That's bribery, Josef," I said, thinking of the bottle of cold blood at home in my refrigerator, not to mention my celibate lifestyle of late. I still wore my wedding ring, after all, though why I was still loyal to that bitch, I'll never know.

"Yes it is."

"Hey, St. John," Gino suddenly called from the kitchen, "these dishes ain't gonna wash themselves. Break time's over."

Josef looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Well?" he asked softly.

"Alright, but I should finish this shift." I got up to go give Gino my two-days' notice. I know it should have been two weeks, but the lure of getting out of these clothes and into Josef's posh office building was stronger than any guilt I might be feeling. Besides, as Gino often loved to tell me, busboys were a dime a dozen.

Josef got up to leave too, leaving Connie a fifty dollar tip and a wink as he walked past her. I watched in amazement as she blushed scarlet.

"Thanks for the pie, man," said the prostitute. "I can meet you out front for…_repayment_."

He reached out and caressed her heavily made-up cheek."Tempting, sweetheart, but I've got to get back to work."

The trucker just nodded to Josef, but looked with renewed interest at the prostitute. He moved from the counter to sit beside her. Josef was always bringing people together, especially in business.

"And I'm _not _cutting my hair," I called after him. He paused at the door, chuckling as he looked back at me.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied, so only I could hear, "but you show up in that god-awful uniform tomorrow and you'll be fired on the spot."

I grinned, and for the first time in six months, I didn't mind the dishpan hands at the end of the night.

TBC

A/N: Do you like this so far? Please let me know or else I'll just assume I need to quit while I'm ahead…


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks so much for the interest you've shown in this fic. I've written flashback scenes in my other stories, but an entire story has turned out to be more fun for me than I had imagined. In the series, we got glimpses back in time to Mick in the forties, fifties, and eighties, so it's cool for me to try to fill in the blanks that were the "lost years" of the sixties and seventies. Also, since this is the late sixties, keep in mind that sexism was rampant in the workplace, and unfortunately, Mick and Josef are men of their times. I do not espouse those beliefs, but I've tried to make office attitudes realistic in this fic—please don't be mad at me for it, lol.

I hope you continue to read, enjoy, and review! This chapter is very long; another case of my getting carried away.

Chapter 2

MICK

I woke up in my freezer at about two in the afternoon, looking forward to a new day for the first time in months. I'd be working for my best friend, and I couldn't think of a better person to work for. He was always so witty, and we could have endless conversations about anything. If a guy could have a guy soul mate (in a completely masculine and butch way), Josef would be mine. At least that's what I thought, until I opened my closet, that is. Hanging on the rack were five suits, each of varying shades of conservative, five plain white dress shirts, and on the shelves were all the accessories, including belts, shoes, and even socks. I sniffed around, wondering how Josef or some lackey had gotten into the house without my knowing about it or sensing it. I guess some things would always remain a mystery where Josef was concerned.

I knew it would be a losing battle to show up at work in my favorite bellbottoms, so I reluctantly removed a suit. It was navy blue, but had a faint plaid pattern on it. I chose a different tie than the suggested one that hung with the suit. Instead of the muted solid red, I chose the yellow paisley from off the grey suit. I sighed, but tried to look on the bright side. At least there was no red piping on anything.

After a shower and pint of AB positive, I put on my newest uniform. The lapels were fashionably wide, as was the tie, and the entire ensemble was obviously of high quality. I shouldn't have been surprised that it fit like it had been tailored for me. _Josef worked in mysterious ways._ I stood before the full-length mirror, admiring my new persona. It had taken a couple tries to get the tie right—I hadn't worn one regularly since my Army days—but I had to admit I looked pretty damn good. The only thing that clashed with the look was my hair. It was about two inches past my collar, and all one length. It was nice that my curly hair was finally in style, and I didn't have to fight it with Brylcreem to keep it in place when fashion or the military dictated I keep it tamed down. Still, it somehow diminished the professional look. I went to the bathroom, wet my comb, and slicked it straight back. There. That was better. I looked business-like, but still hip. I slipped on my new cashmere (!) socks and the black wingtips that were polished to a high gloss, took a deep, unnecessary breath, then went out to the metallic green,'67 Mustang convertible Coraline had left parked in the garage. Feeling a renewed sense of purpose, I drove downtown to Kostin Tower.

Josef was genuinely glad to see me, especially in the suit. I stood in his office while he sized me up, even twirling his finger so I would turn around. On that, I drew the line. Employee or not, I was not his giant Ken doll.

"So, Boss," I asked him, "what's my job?" He sat back down behind his large mahogany desk, the LA skyline behind him like an ad in _Business Week, _indicating that I sit in one of the chairs in front of him.

"Actually, it's lucky that I have two recent openings to fill."

"Lucky?"

"Well, lucky for _you,_ anyway. I caught my personnel manager doing the old suck and fuck in the supply closet. The sex I might have forgiven; the unauthorized use of one of my prime freshies—completely unacceptable. But he won't be dipping his quill into that well again."

I had the sneaking suspicion of what that meant. "Josef. What did you do to them?"

"Well, I fired her. I was much less…_forgiving_ of him."

I didn't ask any more questions, but knew his vague answer probably meant my predecessor's corpse was currently rotting in the desert, being nibbled on by the fishes, or a new addition to La Brea. I was suddenly second-guessing my newfound employment.

"So, is that what I have to look forward to if I screw up?"

He smirked. "Just don't piss me off, and we'll never know."

He got up and walked around his desk. "You want to see your new office?"

I nodded and followed him out his door, past the empty secretary's desk, and on down the hall. A gorgeous redhead sat in a desk outside what was apparently my office. She rose at our arrival.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kostan."

"Hello, Nyla. Here is your new boss, Mr. St. John. You will assist him in all ways possible, as well as provide any _refreshment _he might require."

She smiled radiantly, nodding at me politely. "Very nice to meet you, Mr. St. John. If there is any way I may assist you, you need only ask. You can buzz me anytime on your intercom."

I smiled in return. Josef was a genius. All the upper level secretaries apparently were hired for their double duty in their clerical work, as well as freshie duties. I would certainly enjoy the perks of this job.

"Thank you, Nyla. And please, call me Mick. _Mr. St. John_ was my father."

I knew Josef likely didn't approve of the informality, but if I were to be feeding off her, I'd like to be on a first-name basis.

"Very well…Mick. Welcome to Kostan Industries."

Josef led me to a small office, complete with metal desk, phone, comfy padded chair, and several tall filing cabinets. I even had a window. On the door was a black plaque with gold engraving: _Personnel Manager._

"Now, your first order of business is to find me a new secretary." Josef indicated a stack of files on my new desk. "I pulled these from the steno pool, since I'm a strong believer of promoting from within. Well, with the exception of you, my friend."

I looked at the files, a slight feeling of trepidation over the responsibility of picking one of Josef's most valued assistants. "What kind of traits are you looking for in a secretary?" I felt compelled to ask. I remembered his last one—Linda—voluptuous, stylish, sensual. I'm sure she was competent in her blood supplying capacity; not so sure of her business skills.

"Hmmm…good question. Loyalty—most important quality I've found, especially lately. Good typist, takes accurate dictation. Not one of these women's libbers who won't fetch me a drink. And willing to make herself available to feed my uh…_muse_, at a moment's notice."

"And you trust me to make this important decision, right off the bat?"

"Well, narrow it down to two for me—I'll make the final choice. Think you can handle this?"

I grinned. "Or die trying."

He laughed. "It's going to be so great having you around here, Mick. And telling you what to do—just an added bonus. Now, stop wasting time and get to work. Have Nyla call down to Clerical when you want the girls sent up."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Kostan, sir," I said dryly.

He nodded in approval. "You catch on fast. Ass kissing is both encouraged and expected."

Before he could get out the door, I stopped him, suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude. "Josef, I just wanted to thank you for this chance. I was slowly going insane in those meaningless, dead-end jobs. I won't let you down, I promise."

"You're welcome. Believe me, it does my poor, dead heart good to see you in fine men's apparel for a change." My only reply was a raised eyebrow.

He left me alone to get to work.

Everyone was eager to cooperate with me. I guess Josef must have told the entire office I had carte blanche, so I had only to ask and it would be done. My secretary, Nyla, had made sure there was a row of chairs lined up outside my office, and presently they were filled with candidates from the steno pool, each one of them more beautiful than the last. Josef obviously had some sort of policy for the women who worked there.

"Send the first lady in, please," I said to Nyla via the intercom.

"Yes sir. Elizabeth Broderick."

A curly-haired brunette tapped lightly and entered. I rose and offered her a chair. We both sat and I opened up her file.

"So, Miss Broderick, I see you've worked downstairs for five years."

"Yes, sir."

"You type 100 words a minute—very impressive."

"Thank you, sir."

"Tell me what you know about Josef Kostan." This was where the fun would begin. She hesitated, uncertain of exactly what I wanted her to say. I was trying to decipher their level of loyalty to him.

"Well…he's the president of the company, obviously. He's very powerful, extremely rich, and quite charming."

"Very good description," I told her, and she beamed. I decided right then not to tell Josef any of the answers to this question. His ego didn't need that much stroking.

"Do you know what a freshie is, Miss Broderick?" She blanched a little, but kept her composure, for the most part.

"Yes, sir." She gulped.

"And would you be willing to serve in that capacity to Mr. Kostan?"

She looked a little panicked. "I would have to do that?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, sir, but that's really not my bag. I mean, I could really use the promotion, but"-she lowered her voice—"he would be _drinking _my blood!"

I tried not to smile. "I'm afraid that's part of the job description. I'm sorry, Miss Broderick, but it seems you aren't the right fit for this position."

She rose, obviously agitated. "Do I still get to keep my job in Clerical?"

"Of course. Don't worry. Go on back to work now."

"Thank you, sir. Sorry, sir."

"No problem. Have a good day."

I sighed. I could already tell it would be a long evening.

And so it went on for about fifteen interviews. I had one who fit the bill—efficient, beautiful, freshie- willing. Good recommendations. I just needed one more option for Josef to pick from. I looked at the last file of the day, secretary sixteen. If I didn't find another potential secretary with this one, I would talk to Josef about looking outside the company for another girl. The last file was for a young woman named Penny Smith. She had a business degree from UCLA, was an excellent typist, and had outstanding evaluations by her supervisor. I wondered what such an educated woman was doing in the steno pool.

My old school manners had me rising to my feet as Penny Smith walked in, and the appearance of this woman about made me fall back into my chair. She wore a tight black skirt, modestly falling below her knees, black stockings, patent leather high heels, and a short-sleeved pink sweater. It too was modestly cut, but her figure within it was amazing. She had the body of Marilyn Monroe, curvy and mouth-watering. What was even more wondrous was how her appearance above the neck so contrasted with what she looked like below.

Her hair was golden blonde, but pulled back into a tight bun. She wore black horn-rimmed glasses, which further magnified already giant blue eyes. She wore no makeup except understated pink lipstick, which made her full, sensuous lips seem naked and recently kissed. Her face and hair were no-nonsense and professional, but she had the body of a goddess. The mystery of what her hair might look like down, the sense that she was hiding something behind those nerdy glasses, made her totally intriguing. When she opened her mouth to speak, I thought I'd been hit by a sledgehammer. Her voice was breathy and bedroom sexy.

"I see Kostan didn't waste any time replacing that pig, Martin." Her voice was so seductive, it took me a minute to fully understand her words. I hadn't felt this bowled over, this sexually attracted to someone since Coraline. _Coraline. Married man. Right. _I cleared my throat.

"He was a pig, eh?"

One perfect, dark-brown eyebrow rose in surprise. "You haven't been in this company long, have you? Yeah, Martin hit on every girl in this building. He was a real sleazebag." She paused, looking me up and down with her intelligent eyes, and I think she was liking what she saw. I felt her gaze like a caress, and swallowed hard.

"He ever come on to you?" I asked. If I weren't a vampire, I knew I'd be blushing like a schoolboy right now.

"He tried. Vampires may be strong, Mr. St. John, but they still have balls that can be kicked." She looked at a smoothly buffed fingernail in amusement. So, that was the mystery of her. She was perceptive, intelligent, and gutsy.

I chuckled. "I'm sure he deserved it. Well, you don't have to deal with him anymore. What do you think of Josef Kostan?"

"I've never actually met the man. I've seen him from a distance, and he certainly knows how to pick out a suit. From what I hear, he's a womanizer, freshie addict, and a smart ass. But he treats his people right—so long as they don't cross him. Those who do, tend to disappear mysteriously. Sort of like Martin…" Her words trailed off meaningfully. Of course, I wasn't about to comment on my suspicions where Martin was concerned. She sure had Josef pegged though.

"Would you be available for freshie duties, should you be accepted for this position?"

She considered this a moment. "Yes, if it were a requirement of the job. But I won't be taken advantage of. And I'd want a guarantee that I wouldn't _disappear_ should I ever leave this company."

I smirked. "Mr. Kostan's last secretary didn't disappear, did she?"

She smirked back. I was beginning to love this woman. "Not that I know of. But then, Linda was an airhead and a whore. She would have deserved any punishment Kostan dished out. Screwing a guy in the supply closet is about the lowest you can stoop, don't you think?"

I chose to remain noncommittal, having had a sudden visual of taking her on top of a pile of toilet paper and dust mops, her tight skirt pulled up around her waist. I met her eyes, hoping she couldn't read the lust behind them.

"You're not afraid to speak your mind, are you?" I asked, finally.

"No. Does that count me out of this job?"

I grinned. "No, it's very refreshing. Actually, I think Josef will like you quite well. You remind me of him."

"Really?" she said skeptically. "You must think I'm a smart ass."

"Yes. But in a good way."

She smiled in appreciation of my answer.

"Tell me, Miss Smith. Why would an educated woman like yourself be working in Clerical? With your business degree, it seems to me you could be much higher up in this company."

"My father told me that a woman with a business degree was like nipples on a bull. I guess most of the men in the business world agree with him, so I figure the only way to earn my way to the top is to start from the bottom. I admit being executive secretary to the president of this company could be a way to get my foot in the door."

I admired her honesty, and sympathized with her predicament. I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to be a highly educated woman in the business world. I guess about as hard as an _under_educated vampire.

I got to my feet and took her hand. It was soft and warm, but her grip as she shook mine was firm.

"Come back up here when you first get in to work tomorrow. Mr. Kostan will want to talk to you himself, I'm sure."

"There's a chance for me, then?" Her eyes sparkled behind the horn rims.

"I think Mr. Kostan will be as impressed with you as I am."

I realized I'd been holding her hand a bit longer than was professional, and that amused eyebrow shot up again. I dropped her hand immediately.

"Nice meeting you, Mr. St. John," she said in that captivating way of hers.

"My friends call me Mick."

"And will we be friends, do you think?"

I smiled. "At the risk of being labeled a pig, myself, I was kinda counting on it."

Her lips spread into a familiar Cheshire grin. "Good night…Mick…" she finally said, holding my eyes for a tension-laden moment. Then as if in remembrance of an unspoken joke, she left my office, her hips beneath that skirt making me groan inside my head, then aloud when the door shut quietly behind her.

I realized with surprise that I'd found a female version of Josef Kostan, and the idea that I was so over-the-top hot for her suddenly made me feel a little creepy inside. To get that idea out of my mind, I reached for the phone, pressing the button that would connect me directly with my new employer.

"Hey, Mick. You find me a secretary or two?"

"Mission accomplished. The two likely ladies will be in tomorrow to meet with you."

"Well, good. How is your first day going?"

I thought a minute. "You know, I've actually been enjoying myself. But then, I doubt I'll be talking to tons of beautiful women on a daily basis for this job."

He chuckled. "Stick with me, my friend, and you'll be up to your…_neck_ in however many you like."

"The temptation is unbelievable. But I'm married, Josef, remember?"

He paused a beat.

"You think Coraline's sitting around waiting for you?" There was an edge to his voice that I didn't like, mainly because he might be right.

"I don't know," I said softly. "But I intend to honor my vows until we ever officially end it."

"You wanna make a bet," he asked, his voice a little lighter.

"No."

"Ha. Because you know you'd lose."

"Shut up, Josef."

"Is that any way to talk to your boss?"

"Shut up, Mr. Kostan."

I hung up on him mid-laugh.

TBC

A/N: Thanks for reading—hope you take a minute to let me know what you think. I always try to respond to your reviews, but please note that if you aren't signed in, I can't reply , and I do so want to show you my appreciation!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm sure you've been wondering what's on Josef's mind…no? Well, I have, lol. So, here's our favorite smart ass, wealthy, playboy vampire. A reader (who wasn't logged in so I couldn't reply directly to her) was concerned that I make sure I stick to canon regarding Mick not sleeping with a human since he married Coraline. Let me reassure you all that I've always tried to follow what the show set up for us. I've made a mistake or two here and there, but I do try not to take away from canon. (One question though—does oral sex count? Lol.) I do, however, tend to ADD to it, like this current fic, which I hope you continue to read and enjoy.

Chapter 3

JOSEF

I really had to hand it to myself. It had been a stellar idea to offer Mick a job. He'd taken to it like a newborn to a freshie, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had swum through the murky steno pool and found the perfect secretary for me. It was so great to be able to trust someone at work implicitly, someone who knew me well, understood my needs, was looking out for me. So, I was not disappointed when Mick introduced bachelorette number one the next day.

She was lovely—short, dark hair, ala Elizabeth Taylor. Petite and graceful, the leggy brunette arrived at my office door on Mick's arm.

"Mr. Kostan," said my friend formally, "allow me to introduce Mary White. Miss White has worked here three years, and has shining recommendations from her supervisor."

"Really?" I took her small hand and brought it to my lips. "Enchante mademoiselle." Her alabaster skin flushed becomingly at the full force of my charm. Mick was trying hard not to laugh.

"Thank you, Mr. St. John. Mary and I will have a little visit in my office. I'll let you know when I need to see the next candidate."

He nodded and left us, while I escorted the secretary inside and shut the door behind us. I indicated she sit in a chair while I leaned casually against my desk, my eyes feasting on the delectable Miss White. She wore a cute little pale blue skirt suit, and conservative high heels, that drew attention to her shapely legs as she crossed them demurely. I picked up her file and began perusing it, while she sat tensely waiting. I really wasn't looking at the pages; I had no doubt Mick had found the best qualified. But I was trying to get a feel for her. I listened to her heartbeat—just slightly accelerated. She was naturally nervous to be meeting with the boss, I'm sure. Her breathing was only slightly shaky. I looked up from the file.

"What's your blood type, Mary?"

Her heart jolted, then sped up a little, and there were those rosy, blood-filled cheeks again.

"I don't know, sir," she said softly, meeting my eyes despite her slight fear. Here would be the real test.

"May I…taste you?"

"Uh…I…" She swallowed, hard. Then: "Yes."

Good. She really wanted this job. I took the two steps that would bring me close to her, and reached down to pick up her arm where it had been neatly folded in her lap. She smelled lightly of roses, I noted as I laved her forearm with my tongue in preparation. Her pulse picked up speed and her breathing accelerated. I could tell she'd never done this before. I was about to be the one to take her freshie virginity. My fangs dropped down and I knew my eyes must be vampire silver. Her green eyes were closed tightly. I gently slid my fangs into her vein and heard her rough gasp, but she held still and let me taste. _Hmmmm. B positive. Nice and rare, like I like it._

I only took a few sips, then detached from her arm, reaching into my pocket for a handkerchief that I pressed to her bleeding puncture marks.

Mary looked a little green around the gills, but she bravely met my eyes and gave a little smile in answer to mine.

"You're B positive, for future reference," I told her. "Very good. Thank you for the sample."

She replaced my hand with her own on her wounds, and I took my place behind my desk.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

She let out a breath she'd been holding. "Yes, sir. I'm fine. May I say…that wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. You were very gentle."

I laughed softly. "Thank you. You know, some ladies even come to like it."

She smiled, suddenly, seductively. "I can see how that could happen." I was pleased to sense that she was a little dazed and more than slightly aroused.

"Tell me, Mary, what do you think is the most important characteristic of a good secretary?"

"Discretion," she replied immediately. I grinned. Good answer.

I moved to help her up and usher her back to the door. "Thank you , Mary. I'll be in touch."

"Thank _you_ sir," were Mary's final words. I watched her walk to the elevator, and I wasn't disappointed.

Back in my office, I called Mick.

"Mary is delicious," I told him.

I heard the smile in his voice. "She is, is she? I take it she passed the taste test?"

"With flying colors. I don't know how you'll top her, but go ahead and bring over my next option."

He laughed aloud as if to say, _just you wait. _

"We'll be right there."

I was not prepared for the vision before me as Mick came round the corner with a Rubenesque beauty in tow. Had I been a cartoon wolf, my eyes would be bulging out of the sockets, my heart pounding out of my chest, my tongue lolling out of my mouth. _Goddamn._

"Josef Kostan, allow me to introduce Miss Penny Smith."

She held out her hand. _All business. _I smirked, shaking it, allowing my index finger to lightly caress her palm. Her blue eyes behind her ridiculous glasses widened, then sparked briefly with fire. The rest of her face remained professional and impassive.

"A pleasure, Miss Smith."

"Likewise, Mr. Kostan."

"Please, come into my office."

"Said the spider to the fly," she said under her breath, believing that I couldn't hear her. She had a lot to learn about vampires. I looked back at Mick, who was grinning uncharacteristically from ear to ear. I didn't have to be a vampire to notice he was smitten with her. Hard to blame him though.

"Wow!" I said at vampire level.

"I know," he replied in kind, still grinning like an idiot.

As I walked behind Penny into my office, I noticed her hair was held in a conservative bun with what looked to be two tiny stakes. A bark of laughter escaped me.

"Brought your weapons with you?" I couldn't resist asking. She turned to face me, so prim and proper I wanted to ravage her right there. She was quick in taking my meaning. Her hand went to her hair, and a tantalizing smile hovered around her sensual lips.

"A girl can't be too careful," she said, her voice like smooth whiskey.

"Please, have a seat." She wore a dress of pale pink, tightly belted at the waist with a black leather belt, allowing her perfect hourglass figure to be displayed to its best advantage—well, as much as it could be, fully clothed. She reminded me of a juicy, ripe peach. She complied with my request, setting her purse at her feet and arranging her skirt efficiently and modestly around her in the chair.

I took up her file, leaning against the desk again, but, unlike with Mary, I suddenly wanted to know everything about Penny Smith. First thing that caught my eye, was the fact that she had a Bachelor's in Business Administration. I looked up at her with surprise and and newfound respect. She wasn't just a pretty uh…everything.

"You know," I began, testing her reaction, "I've heard it said giving a woman an education is like hunting with an accordion."

Her face remained unemotional, but those eyes flashed again. "That's a new one. Personally, I'm fond of the _lipstick on a pig_ expression." I smiled…slowly.

"How about _nipples on a bull?_"

"My father beat you to that one," she said dryly.

"So, I guess that degree of yours means you're very smart. But can you type?"

"Yes, but not as fast as I can think."

I grinned openly in admiration. "I can see that. Now, Miss Smith, where do you see yourself in five years?"

"I don't know, Mr. Kostan, where can you take me?"

_On my desk. Right fuckin' now! _Aloud, I said: "You can go as far as you want in Kostan Industries."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Tell me, will this office be available within five years?"

I laughed out loud. "Already planning a hostile takeover, are we?"

She smiled slightly, pushing her glasses farther up on the bridge of her nose. It was an amazingly sensual gesture. "Oh, there won't be anything hostile about it. I just want the chance to prove to you that I'm fully capable of doing your job, but I'm not too naïve to realize that I'll have to prove my worth to you as a secretary, first."

I stared at her, taken aback at her gall, her ambition. "You're hiding a pair under that sexy dress of yours, aren't you?"

She smirked. "Maybe."

We regarded each other a moment; two like souls.

"Tell me, Miss Smith, what is your blood type?"

"O-negative."

"Aww…the universal donor. Lovely."

"Is that a comment on my virtue?" she asked, deadpan.

"Not at all. But pursuant to your landing this position, I must insist that I have a sample—just to be sure, you understand."

"Of course." Without hesitation, she offered the white underside of one delicate arm.

"You've done this before?"

"Yes. For Richard Johnson."

"Isn't he your supervisor?"

"Yes. I wanted a day off."

I smiled at her resourcefulness, not faulting either of them one bit, but finding myself insanely jealous of old Dick for having tasted her before me.

I stepped over to take her hand, as I did earlier with Mary. But I had something different in mind for Penny Smith.

"I prefer the jugular," I said softly, meeting her eyes. They widened slightly, but held no fear, and for the first time since she'd entered my office, her heart picked up speed.

"Very well." She inclined her pretty neck and waited patiently. I watched and heard the pounding of her pulse beneath her skin. She wasn't afraid; Miss Smith was excited.

I knelt down beside her chair, and moved in slowly to her neck. She wore no fragrance, except perhaps from her soap, but her natural scent was so desirable it would have been a sacrilege to mask it by artificial means. She shuttered slightly as my cold tongue flicked at her artery, and I suddenly felt my own excitement mounting. My fangs emerged, and I grasped her shoulders to hold her still. I glanced down at her breasts, her quickened breathing making them rise and fall gently in a totally beguiling way. And then I was tasting her, the hot, sweet blood filling my mouth as her low moan filled my ears. Her shoulders were slim and gave easily beneath my hands, and her blood pumped like a spring from within her, refreshing and reviving. It took all my self-control to let her go, but I did, licking at the two small holes I'd left in her neck until the bleeding stopped. She wore my mark now, and there was no doubt in my mind that soon, this wonderful woman would be all mine. I leaned in for a kiss, but her palms went up to my chest, holding me back, emerald eyes determined.

"No," she whispered. "It must remain just business between us. I won't be sleeping with you to get to the top."

"You could be on bottom, if you like," I quipped, and I saw her struggling not to laugh.

"I'm serious, Mr. Kostan. If sex is a condition of this job, I must decline."

I wondered just how resolved she was in that opinion. I got to my feet and stepped away, as she reached down for her purse, giving me a tantalizing glimpse of white lace and cleavage. She pulled out a handkerchief and a flowered scarf, dabbing at her neck with the first, then tying the scarf around the indication of her new freshie status.

She patted that frustrating hairstyle of hers, which was totally unnecessary, since not a hair was out of place. I had this intense desire to pull those damned little stakes from her golden hair and see what she was hiding. I had a sudden vision of long flowing hair, like Rapunzel's, wrapping around both of us as I plunged into that hot body of hers. To prevent my hands from acting out my fantasy, I clasped them together and brought myself with much effort back to the present.

"But my dear Miss Smith," I continued, "you may as well have issued a challenge, rather than a demand. I'm a vampire, after all, a hunter by nature. I love the chase."

"And I'm a woman, sir, intelligent enough not to have to sleep with my boss to get what I want. My rise in a company may not be as fast as a man's, but I'll get there, you'll see."

"But you have no qualms in letting me drink your blood?"

"I prefer to think of it as a business dinner."

I chuckled, already a little in love with her. "Fair enough. When can you start?"

She touched her scarf. "I believe I already did, about five minutes ago."

"In that case, pour me a whiskey, and get Mick St. John on the phone. Tell him I need to see him right away." Without hesitation, she picked up her purse and rose to her black-heeled feet.

"Certainly, Mr. Kostan," she replied, going over to the small wet bar. She brought back a tumbler of single malt, setting it gently before me. "Anything else?"

I sat in the chair behind my desk, looking up at her, reveling in her closeness, a million possible suggestive answers to that question buzzing through my mind.

"Yes," I said finally, "I have one last question for you. What would you say is the most important characteristic in a secretary?"

She thought a moment, and I noticed her tongue snuck out to touch her top lip as she did so. I felt it all the way to my groin.

"Loyalty," she replied, citing the same requirement I'd told Mick just yesterday. She smiled knowingly at me, then left my office, closing the door with a gentle click. I sat there, amazed, and felt my mouth twist into a wry grin.

"I think I've finally met my match," I said to the empty office. I raised my drink in salute. "Mick, my friend, you deserve a raise already!" And as I downed the whiskey, I suddenly remembered Mick's pole axed expression earlier when he introduced me to Penny Smith. He had the hots for her too.

Shit.

A/N: Don't worry, this story won't be a repeat of "Just a Kiss," lol. I'm going in a completely different direction with this, as you will see if you keep reading…and reviews are nice also!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This is my second chapter this weekend, so if you haven't read Ch. 3, please go back and do so!

Oops! Made a little continuity error in the last chapter. Penny's eyes are BLUE, not emerald, as I indicated in Ch. 3. I could write it off as Penny wearing colored contacts, but I don't think they had those in 1969.

Thanks for all who are reading and reviewing, and for those who are going back to read my old stories. That is so cool!

Hope you like this chapter. I admit, I got a little silly…

Chapter 4

MICK

"Mr. St. John," said my secretary Nyla, via the intercom, "Mr. Kostan's secretary just called and said you are needed in his office right away."

"Thanks, Nyla."

_His secretary? That was fast._

I walked out of my office and down the hall to Josef's outer office. I was pleasantly surprised to see the fabulous backside of Penny Smith, as she bent over to look in a lower drawer of a filing cabinet. As my dad would have said: _Hubba hubba._

I cleared my throat politely, and she turned from her work and straightened, rewarding me with a smile when she saw her visitor.

"I see Josef made the wise decision," I said, not even trying to hide how thrilled I was.

"Well, he chose me, didn't he?" she kidded, then went instantly serious. "Thank you, Mr. St. John. You don't know what this means to me."

"You're more than welcome. I knew he'd be blown away by you."

She smirked, setting a stack of files on her desk. "I don't think he was expecting someone like me, that's for sure." She unconsciously touched the scarf at her neck, and my eyes narrowed. She hadn't been wearing that earlier. I took a discreet sniff. Yes, I detected the faint scent of blood.

"Well, I'm sure it will be a mutually beneficial arrangement," I said, the wind suddenly leaving my sails.

"I hope so. You can go right in; he's waiting for you."

"Thanks. Oh, and congratulations."

"Thank you, sir."

With one last fleeting glance at the incomparable Miss Smith, I knocked once on Josef's door, then went inside. He was on the phone, yelling at some lackey, and he gestured that I have a seat. I did so, trying to get a handle on my irritation with him. When he finally hung up, he looked at me like the cat that ate the canary—or the vampire that unprofessionally drank from the jugular of his new secretary.

"Mick! Wasn't it a stroke of genius that I hired you? I have to commend you on the incredible job you did bringing Miss Smith to my attention. Well done, man, well done."

I sat in silence a moment, and his smile of approval waned. "What's wrong?"

"That's a lovely scarf Miss Smith is wearing today," I said tightly.

He smirked. "So you noticed. Well, she might be a universal donor, but I've never met anyone quite like Miss Smith."

"That's not the usual way to test someone's blood type."

He leaned back in his chair. "No…you have a problem with that?" He took a sip of whiskey.

"I just don't want you taking advantage of her. She's…above that, somehow."

"Hmmm…mighty protective of a girl you just met, aren't you?" He seemed more amused than angry.

I took a deep, unnecessary breath. "Well, let me just lay my cards on the table, Josef. I intend to ask her out on a date. I'm letting you know this because I know what happened to the last employee who invaded your territory without your knowledge."

His smile was wide and infuriating. "So, let me get this straight. You're asking for permission to court my secretary? I'm not her daddy, Mick."

"No, you're not. But we're friends, so this is just a courtesy notice."

He looked down at my left hand, my wedding ring still firmly ensconced there. "Aren't you still married?"

"Yes, but we're currently…separated. As you pointed out, I'm sure Coraline's not sitting around waiting for me. Why should she have all the fun?"

"Uh-huh. Well. I doubt Miss Smith will see it that way."

"Are you forbidding me to pursue her?"

He laughed. "Not at all, Mick. I'm not _your_ daddy either. Go right ahead—pursue away. But let me also offer my own courtesy notice. You'll have a rival for her affections, and last time I looked, I'm not married."

We looked at each other, sizing up our opponent. I'd never been in competition with Josef over a woman before. Poker, golf, drinking maybe—but we'd always had different tastes in women. Until now.

"Fine. You go right ahead," I conceded. "But let's define some parameters here. First, it has to be Miss Smith's choice. No using the threat of losing her job as blackmail to get her to go out with you or into bed. She should be allowed to come to her own decision without any harmful coercion. Deal?" I held out my hand.

He took it and gave it a firm shake. "Deal. A condition of my own is that neither your work not hers will be compromised during this…competition."

"Agreed." I stood up. "Did you need me to do anything else? I'm just reviewing the personnel files, getting to know the hierarchy of the company, compiling a list of employee grievances." That got his attention.

"Grievances? Who has grievances?"

"Just minor stuff. Are you going to let me try to handle it? You hired me to be the personnel manager, after all."

He raised an eyebrow. I could tell this was usually his area of expertise. I was hoping I'd be able to save some lives by taking care of these kinds of things myself.

"Okay. I'll let you give it a try. Don't be a push over though, Mick. They all signed contracts; make sure they're made to stick to them."

"Absolutely." I walked back to the door, then turned at his voice.

"Oh, and Mick. May the best vamp win."

"I will," I replied confidently.

He chuckled. "We'll see about that."

I let him have the last word, because I knew things were about to go my way.

The next day, I stopped at a florist and picked out a bouquet of flowers. I hadn't received my first pay check yet, and I eyed the roses longingly, but was forced to settle for daisies. Maybe Penny would appreciate the country-like charm. I could afford one yellow rose, however, which I bought for Nyla. It didn't hurt to keep my own secretary happy. When I arrived at my office I presented Nyla with the flower, and she blushed and thanked me several times. I told her I'd be right back to get to work meeting with some of the disgruntled employees I promised Josef I'd deal with. First, I had a delivery to make.

I stopped short at the sight of Penny Smith's desk. A giant display of long-stem red roses—at least three dozen—sat upon her desk in a crystal vase. _Dammit, Josef! _ I nearly hung my head in defeat, until I saw Penny picking up the floral arrangement in annoyance, trying to find a more convenient place for them. Apparently, they blocked her view of visitors, and got in the way of her work. I watched her settle on placing them on top of the filing cabinet, then sit back at her desk with a sigh of relief. She noticed me at last and gave me a welcoming smile.

"Good afternoon, Mr. St. John. Do you have an appointment with Mr. Kostan?"

"No," I grinned back. She looked fetching today in a light blue blouse and navy skirt. Her hair was still disguised in a low bun at her nape, and I wanted to rip those ugly glasses off her classically beautiful face. Instead, I pulled out the daisies I'd been holding behind my back, presenting them to her with a flourish.

"Welcome to your new job," I exclaimed. She looked at the simple bouquet, her eyes taking on a sparkle of warm amusement.

"Daisies! How charming! My mother grew these in the backyard where I grew up in San Diego." She took them from my hand, inhaling the lightly sweet fragrance. "Just like I remembered."

I glanced at Josef's roses. "Looks like I wasn't the only one who welcomed you today."

"Oh, those. Mr. Kostan was kind enough to have these sent to my desk. He wrote a lovely card that came with them. I can tell your daisies came straight from your heart. Thank you. I feel so, well…_welcome_."

I wondered if she knew my heart was dead. I'm sure it would be skipping beats and hammering against my chest if it still worked. Her loveliness was truly overwhelming. I cleared my suddenly dry throat.

"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out with me this weekend. Maybe see a movie?" I wished I could afford to take her to a nice place for dinner, but the drive-in was about all my budget would allow.

She hesitated, but seemed flattered at my offer. "I don't know, Mr. St. John—"

"Call me Mick."

"Mick. I really make it a rule not to date fellow employees. You understand, don't you? It might make things awkward should things not end well."

"It wouldn't have to be a date. We could go as friends."

She caught sight of my wedding ring, and frowned. "I've noticed you wear a ring…"

_Damn. I tried to take it off before I came to work, but the fuckin' thing wouldn't come off my finger. Damn Coraline!_

"My wife and I are…estranged, I'm afraid. She's in London, last I heard. We don't communicate much."

"I'm sorry to hear that Mr.—uh, Mick. I also have a rule about dating married men."

I moved in closer to her desk, looking down at her, deepening my voice, trying to make my eyes seem compelling. At that moment, I wish the legends were true about vampires being able to control minds.

"Well, how about a drink after work tonight? Some place casual where we can get to know each other better. No pressure. Just two coworkers out for a nightcap."

She had just opened her mouth to reply, when Josef opened his door, sticking his head out.  
"Oh, Mick. Just the man I was looking for. Listen, I need you to work late tonight, will ya? And maybe every night this week? Got some changes I want to make to the employment applications, and want to go over the inner workings of the company with you. Hope you hadn't made any plans…"

My eyes shot daggers at his, but the rest of my face remained calm. He'd been listening by his door, I just knew it. I looked apologetically at Penny.

"Another time, perhaps?" I asked hopefully.

She smiled in complete understanding. "Sure."

"No, Josef," I said around gritted teeth, "I have no plans at all."

He couldn't hide his smirk. "Good. See you in my office after hours."

I felt like my face would crack from the fake smile I offered him. "No problem, _boss_." _Bastard, _I amended, vampire soft.

I heard his equally soft laughter behind his closed door.

"See you later," I said to Penny.

"Okay. Thanks again for the beautiful flowers."

"My pleasure."

I tried hard not to stomp my way back down the hall. _This, of course, meant war._

When I got back to my office, I hit the button on the phone that connected me directly to Josef.

"That was dirty pool, Josef," I said angrily.

He laughed, of course. "All's fair in love and war…"

"And this is definitely both, buddy."

"Hey, man, you chose to take me on. Well, I play dirty and I don't give up. You could just back down now and save all of us a lot of trouble."

I snickered. "Ha! Not on your miserable half-life. You may think I'm a Boy Scout, Josef, but you've left me no choice but to pull out the big guns now."

"I'm sure by _guns _you don't mean those giant, bulging biceps of yours?" he said snarkily.

"No, but I'd win there too, skinny boy."

"Well, at least she'll be able to look into my eyes without wading through the jungle of my hair."

"Don't bring my hair into this. That is just a cheap attempt to get me to cut it off. Not gonna work."

He chuckled. "It was worth a try."

I had to laugh too, which thankfully defused the tension between us—well, at least for a moment. There was a beat of silence, then he said:

"By my count though, I have two points over you right now. The flowers and effectively shutting down your pathetic attempt to invite her out."

"She happened to like my daisies better, Josef. As you were listening, you might have noticed how I made her go all nostalgic. I swear, she was close to shedding a tear over them. Your expensive roses went to the back of the line, my friend. And telling me in front of her that _we_ have to work late all week kinda took you out of the game too, didn't it?"

"Damn," he replied under his breath.

"Ha ha! See you after my shift, boss man!" And I slammed the receiver onto the cradle. I sat there a moment, gleeful in my minor victory. If I didn't have a date with her, well he didn't either.

"Damn," I said aloud, to no one in particular.

I arrived the next day, a small box of candy in hand, to see a group of women huddled around Penny's desk, moaning in ecstasy. As I moved closer, I was assaulted with the strong scent of chocolate, and I saw each of these women—secretaries, I assumed—picking through a monstrous box of Godiva truffles. Even Nyla, the traitor, was _oooing _and _awwing_ over how she just couldn't decide which one to pick, the assortment was so overwhelming. Penny was sitting at her desk in the midst of it all, extolling the perfection of raspberries in dark chocolate, as well as what a wonderfully thoughtful boss she had.

Before I could be seen, I turned quickly and went to my office. I opened a drawer to my desk and threw my own pathetic box inside. _I'll just take them to my mother on my next visit. She'll appreciate them,_ I thought pettily. I picked up a pencil and began tapping it on my desk, deep in thought. I promised Josef the "big guns", but in all honesty, I didn't really know what that meant for me. I certainly couldn't compete with him when it came to material things. He was a multi-millionaire, for God's sake. So, what did I have, besides a wedding ring, that Josef didn't?

I pushed back the lock of hair that had fallen back into my face, a constant battle I fought all day . I was still brushing it back, but I knew suddenly that that was about to change. I wasn't a square, like Josef was. My regular clothes were cool, and many a girl had commented on my curly hair with envy, wishing theirs would do that naturally, the way mine did. Not a day had gone by in my other jobs when some sexy lady hadn't come over and run her fingers through my hair. I was different from Josef and his crew cut. My longer hair made me mysterious, intriguing, hip. Wearing a suit had been a condition of my employment, but that didn't mean my suit couldn't be hip as well. Hmmmm….I pulled on one of my long curls.

Sampson hadn't needed big guns to conquer the enemy and win Delilah's love. He'd just had cooler hair. Well, that Philistine in the office down the hall wouldn't know what hit him. I grinned an evil grin that would have done Josef Kostan proud.

TBC

A/N: Okay, so this story is going to run a little longer than I had anticipated. Hope you don't mind . I had the ending in sight from the beginning, but it's taking me a little longer to get there. I've gotten a little sidetracked writing for my two favorite vamps. So, if you were wanting a shorter story, I'm afraid you'll just have to hang in there. Oh, and please let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Please pardon the next silly chapter. Once I get started, I can't seem to help myself. (And I will not held liable for any of you getting fired for laughing aloud at work.)

Chapter 5

MICK

Motor oil. Motor oil is good for removing stubborn wedding rings. I know it didn't make Coraline and I suddenly unmarried, but if I were going to get Penny Smith, I'd have to lose any reminders of the woman I had no respect for. It was a huge step, and maybe, in retrospect, it wasn't really over with my wife, but at that moment, one thought of Penny, and Coraline paled by comparison. And not just because she was a vampire. So, after trying soap to loosen my ring, then Vaseline, with no results, I had gone out to the garage.

I looked at my bare finger, the golden ring lying in a pool of oil on the garage floor. It was so hard to attach love to that ring. Obsession, maybe. Sexual enslavement, definitely. But not love, not after I'd awakened as a monster the morning after our wedding. Everything before had been a lie, at least on her part, but I had been so dependent on her that the thought of leaving her after she'd turned me hadn't even crossed my mind.

Once I'd become used to what I was, though by no means comfortable being a vampire, the doubts had seeped in that I could never be happy with her. I'd made vows, though. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. And wasn't being turned into a vampire a kind of sickness? I was old fashioned, and those vows had meant something to me when I made them. Well, the way things had gone down with her in England a few months before had embittered me completely on our marriage, and after months with no contact, I was lonely, angry, and sexually frustrated. Penny Smith seemed like just the girl to drive Coraline from my mind.

After a shower to wash away the oil and the memories, I stood before my closet, smiling at my recent acquisitions. Alongside Josef's high dollar suits, hung the fruits of my recent trip to the second-hand store. Mod, dark suit, with narrow lapels and pant legs, paired with my hippie-inspired hair, and I would look like a hip French artist or writer. I'd keep the expensive black shoes and white shirts from Josef, but instead of a tie,I wore a black paisley scarf, tied western style. My hair—au naturel, Bohemian and wild. I thought about wearing a beret, but feared that would be a bit too much, and it was too late to grow a goatee.

An hour later, and I enjoyed the whispering as I sauntered into my office past other co- workers, swinging a basket jauntily in one hand.

_Who is that cool guy?_

_Man, he's groovy!_

Nyla was speechless as I stood before her desk, her brown eyes looking me up and down in appreciation. I decided to try out my new personality on her. I made my eyes go all intense and passionate, maintaining a slight grin while I asked her for a file. She gulped and blushed.

"Uh…uhh…of course, Mr. St. John. Right away."

"It's Mick, remember?" I said, casually seductive.

She swallowed again, then whispered: "Mick." She didn't move, just stared.

"Nyla?" I prompted. "The file?"  
She seemed to snap out of it. "Oh, sorry."

I took the file from her hand, making a point to caress her fingers, only slightly, while looking deeply into her eyes.

"Thanks, sweetheart."

I turned the full power of my smile on her before I went into my office, laughing softly to myself in triumph. Being Coraline's husband had stifled me in so many ways. Before we'd met, I'd been into the party scene, into my music, into the ladies, and into life. Well, the tiny shackle on my left hand that had bound me to her was gone now, and the real Mick had remerged at last.

I kept to myself until the dinner break, then I took up the basket I'd brought in with me. I had found out the day before that Josef was going to be tied up in meetings all day, out of the office, so my plan should work perfectly. If I couldn't go out with Penny for dinner or a nightcap, then I'd bring both to her. I'd found the old picnic basket in the pantry of Coraline's kitchen, along with an expensive bottle of Chardonnay from her wine cellar. I'd packed finger foods I'd picked up from the deli—olives, cut vegetables, crackers, cheese, fruit—all things I could feed her with my hands, and I'd even brought a checkered blanket. I mean, how could she resist the romance of it all?

I cursed when I saw she wasn't at her desk, but one quick sniff directed me to Josef's office, the door slightly ajar. I pushed it open and peeked inside. Penny was in the process of straightening up Josef's desk and laying down a few papers for him to see later, her shapely back to me. She didn't hear me as I approached with vampire stealth until I was standing right behind her. Her warmth and the soft beating of her heart enticed me, and I cleared my throat. I watched her jump, startled, her hand going instinctively to her lovely chest as she turned around.

"Oh! Mick! You scared me."

Then her eyes behind those nerdy glasses took in my changed appearance, and lit up with…_amusement_? Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Maybe I was misinterpreting her expression.

"Sorry," I said, making my voice go smooth and sexy, trying to match hers. "I was hoping I'd find you alone." I held up the basket. "I brought you dinner."

"Really?"

"Yes. If Mohammed can't come to the mountain…"

She smiled indulgently. "How sweet of you. But I'm afraid I already brought my own."

I looked around Josef's posh office, noting the lush shag carpeting beneath our feet. "I brought a blanket. I thought we could spread it out on the floor and have an impromptu picnic."

"Oh, Mick. I don't think Mr. Kostan would—"

"Don't worry about him. He's my best friend. He won't mind. And if he does, he won't take it out on you. Besides, you've got to eat. Please," I pleaded, trying to make my eyes warm and inviting, "join me."

She looked hesitantly at the door, then at the basket, then, lastly, back at me. "Well…if we make it quick. I don't want him to see me just lounging around his office."

"Great!" I said excitedly, then modified my tone again. "I mean, cool, baby."

I shook out the blanket and spread it on the floor, indicating she make herself comfortable. I kneeled down beside her, opening the basket and bringing out the wine and two glasses. I opened the bottle and poured her a drink, then one for myself. I brought out the deli containers and opened them.

"Well, damn. I forgot the silverware," I said, which was, of course, a little white lie. "Olive?" I asked, holding a pimento stuffed green one out to her lips. When she opened her mouth to protest, I gently popped it in.

"Thanks," she said around it, making a face. "But I hate olives."

"Sorry. How about cheese?" I took out a small square of sharp cheddar, waiting for her to finish the unwanted olive.

"You don't have to feed me, Mick. I'm a grown woman."

"Ahh…but isn't this much more fun?" I lay on my side next to her as she sat, her legs to the side beneath her skirt, watching her mouth as she took the bite of cheese from my fingers, then a sip of wine.

"I feel funny eating in front of you. Vampires don't eat food, do they?"

"Well, not like humans. But I'm enjoying watching you." I lowered my eyelids to half-staff, admiring the view.

She blushed a little, so I chalked that up to one minor success, and sipped my wine. I tried to feed her a grape next, but she put a stop to my sensual assault and picked her own grapes from the bunch. I realized I might be making her uncomfortable with my amorous gaze, so I decided to move on to the getting-to-know-you-small-talk phase.

"Tell me, Miss Smith, what do you do for fun? Outside of work, I mean?"

She laughed, a husky, captivating sound. "It's hard to have a life outside of work when you keep vampire hours. But I suspect you know intimately what I mean."

I laughed along with her. "That I do. If you want to associate with humans, you have to find all the night owls, and those usually consist of street walkers and barflies."

"Unless they work for vampires, themselves."

"True. And what does your boyfriend think of your odd hours?"

She wasn't fooled by my obvious fishing expedition, and she smirked before replying: "I don't have a steady boyfriend right now. " She brought the wine glass to her lips. "And I'm not looking for one," she said meaningfully, before closing her eyes to drink.

"What if you found one who kept the same hours as you?"

"Then he'd better not be the kind whose idea of dinner is me as the main course."

I grinned, enjoying our banter. "Don't knock it until you've tried it, Miss Smith," I said suggestively, meeting her eyes over the rim of my glass.

"So," she began, purposefully changing the subject, "what's with the new look?"

I felt my grin widening. "This is more like how I really am. I was just wearing those other suits at Josef's request. I haven't felt comfortable in them at all." And because I desperately wanted to please her, I asked: "Do you like it?"

She was quiet a moment, then, to my extreme surprise and pleasure, she reached over and picked up a lock of my hair, rubbing it between her fingers.

"Your hair is beautiful, Mick. When you wear it hanging free like that, you remind me of Jesus."

Now how was I supposed to take that? And how could I find a snappy comeback without possibly insulting her religion?

_**I'll **__be your savior, baby._

_But I want to idolize __**you.**_

_You'll be screaming His name____when I make you—_

"Thanks," I said instead.

I sat up then, meeting her eyes as she ate, listening to the steady beat of her heart. It was my turn to touch _her._ I reached out with both hands toward her face, touching each side of her black horn-rimmed glasses. She held still, unflinching.

"May I?"

I'd been dying to take them off her lovely face since the moment I'd met her, but her warm hands came up to stay mine.

"What if you don't recognize me, like Clark Kent changing into Superman?" she asked humorously, her blue eyes shining.

My eyes smiled back into hers. "Uh-huh. It's just like I thought. You have a secret identity hidden under that professional exterior of yours."

It was at that moment I sensed Josef's presence just outside the door. I was sure he was listening, so I had to make my move a little sooner than I had planned. Before she could reply, I removed her glasses, catching my breath at the beauty beneath. She blinked as her vision blurred, and I forgot all about my eavesdropping friend.

"I can see why you wear them," I breathed. "They're a defense mechanism, to keep the men away."

"It hasn't helped so far," she said lightly, squinting at me. I seized my moment and swooped in for a kiss. Naturally, Josef chose that instant to push open the door.

Penny jumped back from me, fumbling for her glasses and getting to her feet.

"Well," Josef said, assessing our intimate little setup. He was smiling, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. "The mice have definitely been playing." He nodded toward our spread. "They've even been into the cheese."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kostan," Penny was saying, hurrying to the door. "I was just about to get back to work."

"Don't worry, Miss Smith. You've just been corrupted by my good friend and _employee _here. Give me a few minutes, then bring in your notepad, please."

"Yes sir." I tried to smile reassuringly at her, but she was too flustered to respond. I watched in disappointment as the door shut behind her. I took my own sweet time gathering up the remains of our picnic while Josef leaned against his desk, silently fuming. Of course, he wasn't silent for long.

"I thought we agreed that your wooing of Miss Smith would not interfere with her work."

"The girl's gotta eat, Josef," I replied, folding the blanket. "It was her dinner break. And I'm supposed to get one too, remember?"

"Well, you better hope nothing got on the carpet."

I re-corked the wine. "There wasn't enough time for that," I remarked with a leer.

He laughed, then, suddenly noticing my appearance, he laughed harder. "What the hell is this? The Mod Squad have a yard sale?"

"Shut up, Josef. You're so square you wouldn't know cool if it bit you in the jugular." I threw everything in the basket, then I said softly: "I believe I've made a little more progress than you now, buddy. No woman can resist the St. John charm, when I choose to turn it on."

"Yeah, I can see that, Mick. Or, should I call you… _Jesus_?" And he laughed until the tears began to flow.

_Fuck. He'd been listening longer than I thought. _I must have been so distracted by Penny that I hadn't been attuned to Josef sooner.

"Don't be blasphemous, Josef."

"What? Do you prefer Jehovah? Messiah? Lamb of God? Our Lord and Savior?" He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped at his eyes.

"Go to hell, Josef."

"Oh no! Are you using your heavenly powers to _damn _me?" More obnoxious laughter.

"If only it were that simple." I went to the door, stopping there when his laughter had died down sufficiently. I dropped my voice on the off chance that Penny might be listening.

"You laugh to disguise your fear that I am closer to getting what we both want. As you might have heard, she let me take off her glasses. Next time, I'll get her hair down, you wait and see."

He rolled his eyes. "Mick, you're not even close to first base. Hell, you aren't even in the ball field yet. Has it been so long since you've had sex that you've forgotten the natural progression of things? I'll be in her pants by the end of the week, mark my words."

"Ha," I scoffed. "This girl needs finessing, something you are entirely without patience for. Now, if you'll excuse me, my break is over, and my boss is a real asshole about these things."

"Yeah, go on, lover boy. But remember, I'm in for a Penny, _and_ in for a pound." His fist made a graphic gesture, and he laughed at his own stupid pun.

"You're disgusting, Josef." But two could play at that game. "I like to say that a Penny saved is a Penny earned."

I could see this battle of wits could go on for hours, and I still hadn't had my own dinner.

"Good-bye, Josef."

I shut the door just as he was about to spout his next pun, sparing us both the pain and suffering.

A/N: You like? Please tell me because I'm a real people pleaser here. Oh, and if you are a younger person, you might want to Google "The Mod Squad" and men's fashion from the 1960's. It's very entertaining, and will hopefully add to your enjoyment of this little fic.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks so much for all the positive response I'm receiving for this ficlet that has turned into a long story. I hope you are enjoying reading as much as I am writing. Things in the following chapter are a little more serious than the others, but don't worry, the fluff will continue in the next one. This chapter also takes a turn toward an "M" rating, for some heightened uh…sensuality. Hope you like it as much as Josef did, lol.

Chapter 6

JOSEF

"Bring your pretty little neck in here, Miss Smith; I'm hungry."

There was an uncharacteristic hesitation, then: "Yes sir," was the solemn reply.

So, the ballsy Miss Smith was a little squeamish when it came to her freshie duties. But I knew she would do her duty—she always did-and hopefully the recent flowers and chocolate had loosened her up a little, allow her to enjoy it. She knocked softly, and I surprised her by opening the door for her.

"Oh," was all she said, then went past me into my office. She moved to sit in a chair.

"No," I said seductively, "please stand."

I stood in front of her, inhaling her freshness, drinking in her loveliness before I drank in her blood. She was again in a skirt and form-fitting short-sleeved sweater, and her shoes made her only a few inches shorter than me. Perfect. She stared straight ahead, not meeting my eyes, apparently bracing herself for what was to come. Well, that wouldn't do.

I stepped back. "I didn't call you in to stand before a firing squad," I said gruffly.

"I'm just doing my job, sir. Sorry if I displease you."

"I thought you hadn't minded it during your interview. Having second thoughts about the requirements of this position?"

That made her look at me. "No. It's just that—"

"What?"

She sighed. "May I be perfectly frank, Mr. Kostan?"

"Aren't you always?"

"Usually…I just don't know quite how to say this without losing this job."

I grinned at her discomfort. "I promise you will not lose your job so long as you are being honest with me."

"Okay…well…I've spoken to other girls who are regular freshies in the building. They tell me that it is unusual for the vampire to bite their—bite them on the neck. The arm is apparently the most professional location."

"Hmmmm…What difference does it make? Blood is blood. It's all the same no matter what part of the body it comes from." I of course knew that biting a woman's neck was usually saved for the long-standing freshies, especially when the vamp is sleeping with them, and most often outside the workplace. It was somehow more intimate that way, and certainly was more arousing for both parties. Obviously, that was what I was hoping for with Penny Smith.

"I think you know the difference…_sir_," she said, eyeing me speculatively. Not falling for my bullshit was one of the reasons I wanted this woman so much. She met my eyes bravely, hers stubborn and self-righteous. I knew I could still make a woman come just by sucking on her arm; it was just a little more challenging. I decided I'd take pity on her, but first, I'd enjoy teasing her a little.

"You know," I whispered, moving in closer to her neck again, breathing in her sweet-smelling hair. My hands were at her shoulders like before. "There are other places I could bite you that would be as equally gratifying for you as it is for me. You probably wouldn't feel like I was taking advantage of you if I bit you…there." One of my hands slid down to rest at her hip, just a little ways from the artery I was implying.

She blushed, and her heartbeat accelerated. Miss Smith was embarrassed! How delightful.

"But this is business, Mr. Kostan, not pleasure," she said, trying to put more force into her voice.

"Why are they mutually exclusive?" I touched my tongue lightly on her jugular, and she shivered involuntarily. I myself wasn't immune to her proximity; she turned me on more than any woman had in a long time, and I realized that I was playing with fire here. I didn't want her to have that much control over me, so I shook my head a little to clear it, then led her gently to the red damask sofa against one wall of my office. I sat beside her, taking up her wrist, turning it over.

"Very well, then, Miss Smith, if this would make you feel more comfortable…"

"Yes, thank you sir," she said in relief, relaxing slightly. I smiled to myself. _I'll relax you even more, baby._

As I looked at the milky whiteness of her exposed forearm, I felt a little tremble go through me. I spent a moment delicately sniffing up and down her arm, delighting in feeling the goose bumps and light shivers my near-touches evoked. Then, I licked and nibbled on the area with blunt teeth, preparing us both for what was to come. One hand held her arm, while my other rested casually on her knee, just below her skirt. As I willed myself to vamp out, I looked up at Penny, meeting her darkening, slightly dilated eyes with my vampire silver ones, then slid my hand slowly beneath her skirt, meeting her garter, then one bare inner thigh. She didn't protest, but her breathing quickened, and her blood pounded in her waiting veins.

The moment I closed my eyes and latched on to her arm, my hand found her panties and slipped inside. She gasped with a mixure of pleasure and pain, and I felt myself growing impossibly hard as her blood filled my mouth like warm honey. My fingers delighted in the sudden wetness I met within her panties, and while I continued to feast, I slipped one finger inside. She moaned softly, her eyes closed, head resting against the back of the sofa. It only took a few minutes, with the combined sensations of my mouth and my fingers, for her thighs to begin to tremble, her hips bucking against me as she found release.

"Oh, Mr. Kostan," she breathed. "Oh, God!"

I detached from her forearm, licking the wound as she came down, slowing the movement of my fingers in time with the slowing of her breathing. And, while her eyes were still closed, I licked my lips, and moved up to cover her mouth with mine, a sweet, tentative meeting that she returned with impossibly soft lips.

"Well," I whispered against her lips, "I guess if Mick is _Jesus_, it's alright to call me _God._"

In hindsight, that was probably one of the worst things I could say.

"What?" Her eyes flew open, taking in the picture we made in an instant. My hand was still resting against her crotch, her skirt pushed up to expose her thighs, her arm decorated with two perfect holes, slightly inflamed. And my still vamped face close to hers. She obviously didn't like what she was seeing.

She sat up, pushing my hands away, smoothing her skirt down as she got shakily to her feet.

"You bastard! I told you, no sex!"

I smirked. "Sweetheart, I believe we are both still fully dressed, and the only things of mine that went into you were my fangs and my fingers. That's not sex. That's just…fun."

"Ohhh! You are the most arrogant—"

"Yes?"

I could see her struggling for a word that wouldn't get her fired. I watched the conflicting emotions on her face before she decided to switch tracks. "You glamoured me, didn't you?"she accused, anger and satiation making her voice somewhat rougher than usual. "I've heard vampires can do that. Lull their victims into submitting to them, hypnotizing them with their…charm."

I laughed heartily. "I do so love that old wives' tale. If only it were true. Honey, while I am overwhelmingly charming, I can't make you feel something you don't want to feel, and I wouldn't make you do something you didn't want me to." I reverted back to human form. "What can I tell ya—I just know how to treat a woman right."

"By drinking her blood? Everything I've heard about you is true. You are a monster. A charming monster, but a monster nonetheless. This will _not_ happen again! You can fire me right now, but I won't be another notch on your-" she was at a loss a moment, then: "your _coffin_!" She grabbed the doorknob, intending that to have been the last word.

With vampire speed, I was in front of her, banging the door shut, pushing her up against it so she could feel just what she was doing to me.

"First of all," I breathed, my eyes an inch away from her surprised, bespectacled ones, "I don't sleep in a coffin. And secondly, we _both_ wanted it. You may think that I have power over you, but believe me, Miss Smith, you have more control over me than you know." I moved my pelvis forward, fully emphasizing my point, wanting her so much that my small admission of weakness seemed a small price to pay to be allowed to bury myself inside of her.

Her calm words belied the quickening of her heart. "You're my boss, Mr. Kostan. You hold my future in my hands. And I want to earn my place in this company through my work, not in your bed—or _whatever_."

"It wouldn't be like that," I murmured, my lips hovering over hers. "Come on, Miss Smith, let me show you how we could be together. I won't let it interfere with work, I promise."

I took her mouth, but it was just a fleeting taste before she surprised me by pushing on my chest hard enough that she could open the door wide enough to slip outside. "No!" she said in a frantic whisper, so unlike her that I let her go.

I leaned my forehead against the door, my thoughts dizzy with unfulfilled arousal, the blood that I could still taste in my mouth, and the scent of her desire that still lingered in my empty office.

MICK

It was a new week, which meant a new start in my wooing of Miss Smith. I didn't have to work late anymore, so I was hoping she'd take me up on her raincheck for a nightcap. I'd spent Saturday night at a freshie party at Josef's- all you can eat. I had drunk my fill and even allowed one of the more demonstrative freshies to relieve some of the sexual tension I'd been feeling with an expert hand job in Josef's bathroom. I felt a twinge of guilt about it, being both technically married and also pursuing another woman at the same time, but I comforted myself with the fact that I'd been fantasizing about Penny Smith the entire time. And when Josef raised an amused eyebrow when the freshie and I left the bathroom, I decided right then that if I were going to be a free agent, guilt couldn't be a part of that. Next time, I'd let her use her mouth.

I parked my car in the multileveled garage beneath Kostan Tower, and, as luck would have it, I noticed that Penny must have just arrived. I could walk her up to her desk. I smiled in pleasure at the thought. She was sitting in her car across the garage, talking earnestly with another woman. I leaned forward and saw that it was Linda, Josef's former secretary. _Huh. That was weird._ Penny had been very derisive in her description of Linda during her interview. I had had the feeling then that they were not friends. Watching them talk, I wondered if I should reevaluate that impression. Curiosity impelled me to quietly get out of my car, and move stealthily behind other cars, making my way closer to Penny's little MG convertible so I could eavesdrop.

"…I know he killed James; I just can't prove it." Linda was talking about James Martin, my predecessor, who was likely contributing to the fossil count in La Brea as they spoke.

"You've been working for Kostan long enough to realize how he abuses his power," she continued, venom dripping from every word. "He treated my like a feedbag, never giving me a raise or bonus, and I worked hard for that man. I can't go up there anymore, Penny; security won't admit me. But you can. Just lure him down here and I'll do the rest. Please. You owe me."

I felt like I'd been kicked in the gut. Was Penny in on a plot to kill Josef? I waited anxiously to hear her reply.

"Stay here," she told Linda, getting out of her car. She walked briskly to the elevator. I was torn. I could follow Penny and warn Josef, or go ahead and capture Linda. When the elevator closed behind Penny, I looked over at Penny's car and made my decision. What I didn't count on was the fact that Linda had a stake in her lap…_and_ that she knew how to use it.

A/N: A cliffie, you say? Yes! You'll just have to pass the time waiting for the next chapter by leaving me a review .

This idea of Linda seeking revenge was my actual plan from the start; I just got sidetracked with the fun of Mick and Josef's competition over Penny Smith. But don't think that Josef has won yet. There are still more chapters on the way!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Here's a little action to break up all that lovey-dovey stuff. Oh, and there's also some more love-dovey stuff too. So, go on and read it and let me know what you think!

Chapter 7

MICK

I didn't sneak up on Linda, since she was a petite little thing, and I knew I could break her in half if I needed to. I merely walked around behind her line of sight and sauntered confidently over to the passenger side of Penny's car, as if just coming from my own.

"Linda," I said casually. "What are you doing here?"

The small brunette looked up at me in surprise. I knew her from the many times I'd checked in with her before entering Josef's office, and we'd small-talked occasionally when I had to wait for him to finish a business call or meeting. We'd always been distantly polite with one another, and she'd struck me as efficient and beautiful, but dull of character. Josef told me once he only kept her around because she tasted so good, and her typing skills were impeccable.

"Mick. I heard you were working here now." I could almost taste the bitterness in that statement, since I had, of course, replaced her dead lover in Josef's company. Since I was so much taller than the little MG, I squatted down beside it so I could look into Linda's eyes. I didn't want to intimidate her by towering over her. I wanted to calm her down and prevent whatever she was planning.

"Yeah. Sorry you're not," I said, meaning it. I wish she hadn't fed James Martin; that had been really stupid of her. Had that not happened, she wouldn't be gunning for my best friend right now.

A disgruntled employee, I had learned in my new position, could be calmed down if they got someone to listen who genuinely seemed to care. I had used this tactic with Linda, and I saw her face soften and her eyes go a little watery.

"Have you seen James Martin?" she asked me in a small, shaky voice. Apparently, she still had some hope that the poor bastard was still alive.

"No, I sure haven't. But then, I had only seen him around the building in the past. I really didn't know him."

"I'm sure Kostan filled you in on the reason I was fired. You know, it was really none of his business who I was seeing. And James and I didn't deserve to be let go over it."

"Well, Linda, you did sign a contract stating that no other vampire can feed on you during business hours. Josef was well within his rights to—"

Hindsight is twenty-twenty, they say. I had one eye on the elevator, waiting for Josef's appearance, which was what had kept me off guard. I should have noticed the movement of her hand beneath the coat in her lap. I felt the pointed wood slam into my chest.

I fell back, landing first on my ass, then my head hit the concrete. I had never been staked before, and it was almost as scary as the morning after I was turned. My eyes stared up at the ceiling, and I could feel the burning pain where the stake was buried, the sharp ache in the back of my head, but I couldn't move, and trying to speak was difficult. I could hear, though. Linda got out of the car, and her face suddenly came into view, though I couldn't quite focus.

"Oh, my God! I've killed you!"

It's a good thing we vamps try to keep our weaknesses secret, and that humans tend to believe the shit they see in the movies. She jostled me with her foot, and I stopped myself from moaning. Maybe if she believed I was dead, she'd flip out and get the hell out of there, and not carry out her plan to hurt Josef. I heard her open the car door, then, a few seconds later, the click of her heels as she ran toward the direction of the elevator.

I could hear her heightened breathing, her pounding heart, smell her nervous perspiration. I knew instinctively that she was lying in wait for Josef, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

JOSEF

I was sitting at my desk, not even trying to work anymore. I'd come in during the late morning, after three wasted hours tossing and turning in my freezer, thinking that if I were going to be awake, I may as well be making money. But as I passed the empty desk of the one responsible for my sleepless morning, I sighed the sigh of a Shakespearean lover and promptly added difficulty concentrating to difficulty sleeping. So it was that when at last the afternoon shift began, all my pencils were sharpened and I was listening to stock reports on the radio with only one ear. Lack of focus led to an uncharacteristic case of the nerves, because I knew Penny would be coming in at any time.

My senses awakened when I knew Penny had entered the outer office, and I felt immediately chagrined that she made me feel like a horny teenager. I forced myself to stay in my chair. You would think that after four hundred years of sex, in every position known to man or vamp, with every type of woman, that I would be bored with the whole thing. But the cruel twist (or _kind_, however you choose to look at it) to being a vampire is that whether you want to or not, you always…_want_ _to_. And _damn_, did I want Penny Smith.

I nearly jumped out of my chair when my door suddenly opened, and in walked—or rather _ran_—the object of my desire.

"Mr. Kostan! Mr. Kostan! You have to come! She's gone crazy and is waiting in the garage to kill you!"

Her heart was pounding like she'd been running a race, her face was flushed, and I smelled fear coming off her in waves. I stood up and walked slowly over to her, hoping my calmness would calm her.

"Who is it this week?" I asked, trying to inject humor to make her snap out of her near-hysteria.

She was not actually hysterical, but she was suddenly very pissed off. With me.

"Could you lay off the smartass for just a minute? Linda is down there, wanting revenge for whatever the hell you did to James Martin."

"Linda, huh? That little thing? She must weigh ninety-five pounds soaking wet. Did you tell security?"

She was still apparently annoyed that I wasn't taking this more seriously. She sighed dramatically. "Of course I went there. There was no one on duty. It must be the changing of the guard and the afternoon shift hasn't arrived yet. Mr. Kostan—Josef—she has an entire arsenal of vampire killing weapons. Stakes, silver chains, and a crossbow of some kind, and I don't know what else. But I know she's serious."

"How do you know all this?"

She gave me an embarrassed, almost guilty look. "I knew Linda from back in San Francisco," she admitted, eyes downcast. "We went to high school together. After college, I stayed with her until I could find a job. Actually, she helped get me the position in the steno pool. I knew all about her relationship with Martin, and I didn't approve, but I kept my mouth shut. This afternoon, she asked if she could borrow my car to look for work. She told me about her plans for you, and tried to enlist my help, saying I owed her." She met my eyes then. "I don't give a damn what you did to Martin, Josef, but I don't want to see anything happen to…to you."

I absorbed her words with mixed emotions. While I probably would have dismissed her out of hand had I known her relationship with Linda, I know her ambition was what made her keep quiet, and I admired that most about her. The fact that she was up here, warning me, made me feel something else that I wasn't quite ready to name.

"Say it again," I said softly.

She looked confused. "You want me to repeat myself when your assassin is waiting downstairs?"

"No," I said. "Say my first name."

She blushed, but continued to hold my gaze. "Josef," she said simply. I watched her sensuous mouth form each syllable, heard the sudden pounding of her heart.

I was around my desk in a flash, gathering her in my arms and kissing the hell out of her. I felt her hands flutter tentatively to my shoulders, then I swallowed her soft moan as I deepened the kiss and those delicate hands were pulling my head closer. Our bodies melted together, and we stood that way for several impassioned minutes. I was the one who finally pulled away. She was breathing heavily, and I knew I was going to suffer acute physical pain by stopping things again so…_prematurely._

"While I wish I had time to shag you on the shag carpet," I smiled, my forehead touching hers, "I need to go handle this security breach myself."

"But Josef—"

"Shh…don't worry. I'm not going to kill her. I'll just put the fear of Kostan in her," I smirked.

"But her weapons—"

"I doubt she even knows how to use them. She's just taking out her frustrations. I'll talk her down and kick her skanky ass out of my building once and for all."

I kissed her gently on the lips once more, then went for the door. She was right behind me, of course.

"Stay here."

"No."

I sighed in exasperation. "Have you forgotten who your boss is?"

She raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Look," I continued, " I don't want to have to worry about you when I—"

"I'll just use the stairs if you don't let me come with you on the elevator." _Well, at least she was honest._

I laughed in spite of myself. "Okay. But stay out of it, you hear me?"

"I'll try."

I settled for nuzzling her neck in the elevator, which did nothing for the bulge in my slacks, but kept me from taking her against the wall.

As soon as the bell dinged for the garage level, the door slid open and I was greeted with the sight of my best friend, lying like a speared shark on the pavement. I smelled his blood and the scent of Linda's nervous fear, along with the sound of her skittering pulse. But I wasn't worried about her so much as I was concerned with pulling the damn stake out of Mick's chest. I should have located Linda first and taken care of that problem. But hindsight, as they say, is twenty-twenty.

Bullets peppered my back, one after another. I counted the hits as I fell to my knees. Five. She might have one more in the chamber. The pavement was cold and smooth against my cheek. I wondered distantly where she'd found silver bullets. I felt the metal leaching into my blood, effectively weakening my limbs so that I could not move or speak. _Shit._

Penny gasped, her heart jolting in shock, then speeding up with adrenalin.

"Linda! What the hell have you done?" She dropped down beside me, feeling for a pulse that wouldn't have been there anyway.

"I've killed the bastard, that's what I've done. He and his meddling friend, too."

She must have caught sight of Mick then, and her heels clicked as she hurried over to him. "Why'd you stake Mick? He had nothing to do with this."

"He was in the way. I'm a little sorry about that. He was always nice to me…"

"Well, you'd better leave. Someone might have heard the shots, and people are going to start arriving for the afternoon shift."

"I'll leave, but I'm taking Kostan with me."

"What? Why? You've killed them. Isn't that enough for you?"

"No. I'm throwing him in the ocean, or maybe a garbage dump, just like he probably did James. I've heard rumors about how Kostan disposes of the evidence of his murders. I think his body deserves the same treatment, don't you?"

"Linda, listen to me. You're running out of time. Get the hell out of here!"

"Okay. Help me get him into the car."

I heard the sound of the trunk of Penny's car opening.

"He's not going to fit in there, not with the spare tire bolted in there," Penny said.

"Well, we'll put him in the back seat. I'll cover him with my coat."

There was a pregnant pause, then I could hear the determined steel in Penny's voice. "No. I'm through helping you. I got Josef down here, didn't I? You've had your revenge, now take my car and go. I'll stay here and cover things up for you, but I'm not helping you stir up a big missing person or kidnapping case. Kostan is an important man. If they think you kidnapped him, the police will be tracking you harder than if you had just killed him and left him here." _That's my girl._

Linda cocked the gun. Her voice turned suddenly cold and dangerous. "I asked you nicely before, Penny. Now, help me get Kostan in the car, or so help me, I'll shoot you too."

Next thing I knew, the two women were awkwardly half dragging, half carrying me to the MG. Penny opened the door and they managed to get me in, both huffing and puffing with the effort. Finally, I was situated in the small back seat, my body arranged in the fetal position as Penny gently laid Linda's long coat over me. In the guise of ensuring I was completely covered, I felt the warm squeeze of her hand.

"I'll find you, Josef," she whispered. Apparently she knew a little bit more about vampires than Linda did.

"Are you coming?" Linda asked from behind the wheel.

"No. I'll drag Mick's body behind the cars to buy you some time. Then, I'll cover up Kostan's absence by saying he's out of town. I suggest you head for Mexico ."

"Good idea. Thanks, Penny. Sorry about having to point the gun on you, but I'm feeling kinda desperate right now."

"I'm sorry things turned out like this, Linda. Truly I am. "

"Me too." Even through the muffling coat over my head, I could tell both women were crying. I had faith in Penny; she would know what to do, how to handle this. Then the car was moving, and I was really hoping Linda wouldn't choose the garbage dump, because that would really stink.

MICK

I had heard every gunshot, every word, and I can't even describe the helplessness I felt, the inner rage. That bitch took Josef! I was sure he was alive, and time in the ocean or in a dump wouldn't kill him. Time in the sun in either place, well that was a different story. My only hope now was someone pulling this stake out who knew I wasn't dead, so I could go find him in time. That someone turned out to be Penny Smith.

I saw her pretty, tear streaked face looking into mine as she squatted down beside me.

"Mick! Can you speak?"

"Essss," I replied slowly in the affirmative, having to speak without moving my mouth.

"Do I just grab onto the stake and pull it out?"

"Essss."

She grabbed on and began pulling with all her might. Wooden stakes tend to go into a vampire's chest like butter, but almost instantaneously, the tissue starts healing around the stake, making it extremely difficult to remove. Having never been on the receiving end of a staking, I braced myself for the pain. I only hoped she had the strength to pull it out quickly, all at once.

Unfortunately , she got it about halfway out, before having to regroup and try again. The pain was excruciating. She gripped it again and pulled, and it came out with enough force to knock her backwards. She sat there in amazement for a moment, looking at the bloodied stake, then back at the hole in my chest.

"Son of a bitch!" I cursed when I could.

She took out a handkerchief from her sweater pocket and pressed it to my wound. I looked at her gratefully.

"Thank you," I panted. "I heard you talking to Josef. You really weren't in on this with Linda, were you?"

She shook her head violently. "No! She tried to coerce me, but I told Josef what she was up to. Oh, God, Mick. We have to go save him."

I sat up, holding the linen to my chest, and she helped me to my feet. I hadn't felt this weak since I accidentally stayed out in the sun too long when I was first turned. I knew I needed some blood, but I was a little strapped for time.

"Help me to my car, will ya?"

"Should I call the police?" Penny asked anxiously.

"No. Josef wouldn't want that. Vampires take care of our own. You might go up and get security."

"They weren't there, and no one has come into the garage lately." She glanced at her delicate watch. "Everyone should start arriving for the afternoon shift about now."

As if on cue, three cars entered the garage, parking nearby. The occupants looked at us strangely, but being good Kostan Industries employees, minded their business and headed for the elevator without looking back. Penny took me to the passenger side of my Mustang, opening the door for me.

"You're in no condition to drive," she said. "Give me your keys and you can drive when you're up to it. Meanwhile, we need to go after Linda before she dumps him off, so I'll start us off."

When she was right, she was right, so I reluctantly dug into my pocket and handed her my key fob, then she helped me get settled on the seat, ran around to the driver's side, and started the car. She pealed out of the garage, skillfully driving through the morning traffic.

"Linda said either the ocean or the dump. You seem to know her pretty well. Which do you think is more likely?" I asked.

"Well, there's miles and miles of beach, but only one dump around this area. Let's head there first and eliminate that possibility."

I loved the way she thought. So logical. So efficient. So beautiful while she was doing it. I smiled as she flipped off a driver who suddenly stopped in front of us, making a left turn without using their blinker. She glanced to the right and sped around him angrily.

"There!" she exclaimed, catching sight of her red MG. Linda was not far ahead, stuck in traffic. Penny stepped on the gas, shifted gears, and did a few illegal lane changes as we headed toward the freeway.

I never would have guessed Penny Smith could handle herself so well in a car chase. Steve McQueen would be proud.

A/N: Check out the greatest car chase ever filmed from _Bullitt_, starring Steve McQueen in 1968. I think you can watch it on Youtube. More action, humor, and love coming up soon. Review, pretty please?


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hope you enjoy this supersized chapter. Writing action scenes isn't my strong suit, so please try to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride.

Chapter 8

MICK

"Don't get too close to her," I cautioned Penny, "if she catches sight of us, she might do something crazy." We were now about three cars behind the red MG convertible, and the accident that had caused the slowdown in traffic was clearing up.

Penny gave me a sidelong look of disbelief. "You mean, crazier than attacking two vampires? This bitch is certifiable, Mick. Besides, she thinks you're dead and that I'm on her side. I don't think she's too concerned she's being followed. She wouldn't recognize your car anyway, would she?"

"I don't think so. Look, she's changing lanes, heading for Interstate 10. I guess the beach it is."

Penny shifted and pulled into the lane for the freeway that led to Santa Monica. Linda picked up speed and we followed for several miles, Penny trying to be discreet. When another driver cut her off, she automatically honked at him. I was looking forward when the honk caused Linda to look in her rearview mirror.

"Dammit! She's seen us!"

The little MG darted ahead, but it wasn't much of a match for my Mustang. Penny's fearless driving brought us right behind it, and we tailgated her, following closely as Linda tried desperately to lose us, weaving in and out of traffic.

"Try to get her to go off the road," I said, wishing like hell I was driving.

"How?"

"Bump into her. Sideswipe her. Whatever it takes."

"You're not worried about your car?"

I laughed without humor. "Nope. It's my wife's. What about yours?"

"I'll make Josef reimburse me."

I genuinely chuckled at that.

We were travelling at dangerous speeds, and other vehicles were frantically dodging to get out of the way, honking or yelling at us to slow down. My hand gripped the dashboard as Penny attempted to rear-end the little MG. We both jolted forward and back in our seats, and Linda's eyes were wild as she looked at us in her mirror. She sped up and put another car between us, and other cars drove in the lanes around her. We were blocked out on all sides. All we could do now was keep her in sight.

We had come to the exit for the Pacific Coast Highway, and Linda headed that way, apparently determined to carry out her plan, despite the tail she'd picked up. A sign for the Santa Monica Pier loomed ahead, and I wondered if she was crazy enough-

"She wouldn't go to the Pier, would she?" Penny breathed in horror, echoing my thoughts.

The road dropped suddenly at a steep incline leading down to the famous Santa Monica Pier. The MG became momentarily airborne, landing with a thump at the bottom, right at the entrance of the Pier. We followed suit, though being a heavier vehicle, we didn't catch as much air as Linda had.

Ahead, the giant Ferris wheel spun slowly, its lights flashing happily. The rest of the small amusement park on the Pier was crowded with families and thrill-seekers, and despite the barricades designed to keep out automotive traffic, Linda had picked up speed. Penny screeched to a stop near the entrance of the Pier, but Linda seemed to have lost control of the MG, and she fishtailed after her sharp turn to avoid the barricades and scattering people. Linda's screams joined those of the frightened pedestrians as they moved out of the way of the runaway vehicle. Her brakes caught at the last minute, but it was not quickly enough to prevent the momentum that hurled the small car through the wooden railing and over the side of the Pier, falling twenty feet into the rocks and water below.

"No!" Penny yelled, pushing open the door and running to the side of the Pier.

I moved even more quickly, automatically shielding my face against the late afternoon sun. Everyone who had seen or heard the crash joined us near the broken railing, gasping and talking in shocked tones at the crazy woman who'd driven her car off the Pier. The water beneath the Pier wasn't deep, but I didn't hesitate, despite the multitude of witnesses, to jump off the Pier and onto the beach. Linda's body had fallen out of the convertible, and it floated face up in the gentle waves coming in from the ocean. I heard no heartbeat, but smelled the blood from the gash on her forehead. She must have died instantly.

Josef's body was nowhere to be found, and since the MG lay upside down in the water, he must have been trapped beneath the car. I knew I was breaking every law in the proverbial _Vampire Handbook _by revealing my abilities, but I had to get us both out of there before we couldn't avoid the difficult questions from any onlookers. The sirens from distant emergency vehicles decided for me. I picked up the car easily, finding that Josef had been pinned beneath. Fortunately, vampires don't need to breathe, so he was still among the undead. I picked him up, throwing him over my shoulder like a six-foot sack of potatoes. Those down on the beach had rushed over to offer assistance, but I ignored them in my haste to get the hell out of there.

"Mick!" I heard Penny calling. "Hurry up!" She seemed to understand that there would be too many unexplainable things the police might be interested in.

I gratefully ran beneath the shade of the Pier, hopping easily over rocks and ocean debris. In mere seconds, I jumped back up onto the platform near the parked Mustang, opening the door and laying Josef gently in the backseat. I looked with concern at his fixed eyes.

"You're gonna be okay, buddy. I'll get you to Guillermo."

I looked back at the crowd still gathered at the railing, people scanning the area for where I might have gone, Penny among them.

"Penny, let's go!"

She looked back at the car and ran as fast as she could in high heels. _What a woman!_ I was feeling much better now, my chest wound about healed, although I was still fairly weak. That wasn't going to stop me from taking the wheel, however. Penny jumped into the passenger side, and I backed up, pealing out just as I saw two police cars and an ambulance heading our way. I forced myself to drive at a leisurely pace until they passed us, then I poured on the gas and headed back for the interstate.

Penny was reaching back to touch Josef, concern marring her pretty face. It was then that I noticed that her golden hair had fallen from its usual staid bun, cascading down her back to her waist in natural waves. She looked like a fairytale princess. She glanced worriedly at the wet vampire in the back seat.

"Do you know what to do for him?" she was asking. I pulled my gaze from her hair to her wide blue eyes, watery beneath her glasses. I tried to convince myself it was just delayed reaction to our shocking situation that had her close to tears, not any powerful concern for Josef.

"There's a vampire doctor we know. He should be able to remove the bullets and Josef will be fine."

"Good,"she said, her relief obvious.

There was a weighted silence, as we both relived the past half-hour. So much had happened, shocking, exciting, frightening.

"Linda was dead, wasn't she?" Penny finally asked.

"Yeah. I was sorry about that. Despite what she did to Josef and me, I totally understand why she did it. I don't always agree with Josef's harsh methods. The death penalty hardly seemed just punishment for James Martin using his freshie. And I know you're hearing every word I'm saying Josef, " I said to the silent back seat, "but you really overreact sometimes, I have to tell you. You once told me about stuff coming back to bite my ass—well, it was certainly your turn this time. Unfortunately, you got all of us involved as well."

I looked at Penny's solemn profile, then reached over to take her hand.

"I'm especially sorry you got caught up in this mess. I really think you deserve a raise—or at the very least, hazard pay." I said the last mainly for Josef's benefit, but also because it was true.

She actually smiled a little. I brought her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckle, then laced my fingers with hers and held her hand all the way to the hospital.

JOSEF

The ride to the Pier in the back of Penny's tiny MG was not at all pleasant, nor was going off said Pier and landing in the water with the damn car on top of me. But, at least it had blocked the glaring sunlight, and the cool water was quite refreshing. Thank God she had decided against the dump. But there was still the indignity of having Mick carry me over his shoulder, and having to stare at his ass while he carried me like a child. Don't get me wrong—I was grateful to be saved. I mean, the police would have declared me dead, and put me in the morgue. The headlines the next morning would read: _Millionaire Businessman Shot, Kidnapped and Drowned. _Not exactly the glorious end I would have hoped for, but not lacking in drama, at least. Then, after Mick rescued me from the morgue (hopefully before my autopsy), I'd have to go to Europe for several years and reemerge as Josef Kostan's long-lost son come to claim the company that was rightly my own. I had plans to do that anyway, just not quite this soon. I guess I owed Mick for saving me from that inconvenience.

So, there I was, completely helpless and once again in the backseat of a car, having to endure Mick chastising me and moving in on my girl. As soon as these fuckin' bullets were out, no one would have any doubt who Penny Smith was with, especially not Mick. Poor guy. He was going to be devastated. I wish I could have laughed evilly, because that would have felt really good about then.

We arrived at the hospital, and Mick parked in the alley, running into a back entrance to find Guillermo. Doctor Guillermo Vargas was a vampire about a hundred years old. I'd met him fifty years ago in Mexico, working in a run-down hospital, helping humans while selling their blood to vamps on the side. He was able to juggle both identities admirably. He'd been a doctor before he was turned, and since he didn't know anything else to do, he forced himself to bear being around his warm blooded countrymen every day. Eventually, when he'd been in one place long enough to start being questioned about his age, he moved to LA and started working in different hospitals for as long as he could, in different aspects of the medical field. I helped him forge his immigration papers, diplomas and licenses. He'd been several different types of doctors, an anesthesiologist, a coroner. He changed his name and location every ten years, but medicine was in his blood, so to speak, and no one could get him to see the hazards of working with humans in that capacity.

While we waited for Guillermo, Penny turned to the back seat, took my limp hand in hers, and caressed my face with her other hand. The minute I was myself again, I'd find the nearest bed and-

"Mick says you'll be fine," she was saying. "I'm so sorry I got you into this position. I feel like it was my fault. I underestimated the lengths she would go to for revenge."

_Didn't we all, _I wanted to scream. And of course I wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault. I should have had Linda killed along with Martin. That would have prevented all of this from happening. I wouldn't make the mistake of being soft-hearted again, at least not with those who cross me. Lesson learned. _Pity _was hereby removed from my vocabulary.

Guillermo's ugly mug appeared at the window. He grinned at my predicament.

"Wow, you were right, Mick. He looks like death." They both had a good laugh at that one, the bastards.

The car door was opened, and Mick and the doctor pulled me out, laying me face down on a gurney. They laid a blue sheet over me, and I was suddenly rolling toward the hospital.

"Now, he looks better," Guillermo said. If he ever wanted to get out of the medical profession, he'd probably do great as a comedian.

I could hear the clicking of Penny's heels as she walked alongside me, felt the coolness of the hospital as we came inside, smelled the strong odor of anticeptic. We went into a darkened room and I heard the door shut, then the lights came on again and my sheet was removed, then my suit jacket and shirt, none too gently I might add.

Penny gasped at what must have been an ugly sight, my back riddled with bullet holes. I wish Mick would get her out of there. She didn't need to see this. Although I have been told I have a very nice back…

"Penny, why don't you wait in the hall," Mick said, "This isn't gonna be pretty."

_That's my man._

I heard her dismayed sniffles as she left the room. I wished I could comfort her.

"Now, let's see here." There was a shuffling of metal instruments. "Ah-ha. This should do it."

"Woah, really?" This from Mick, who sounded a little skeptical. Was it from the size of the scalpel? _Oh,_ _Shit._

"Now, watch and learn, Mick. You should know how to do this in case I'm not available."

"As a medic, I'd just patch them up until the real doctors could get to them. This will be a good skill to have."

"I'll let you get one out if you want."

"Cool, thanks."

_What? This quack was gonna let an amateur dig around into my back with a sharp object? _

I felt the first stab of pain as Guillermo cut into me, then the _ping_ as the slug was tossed into a metal pan. After the third one was removed, some of my paralysis began to wear off, and I could grunt in pain again.

"You wanna try the next one?" The quack asked Mick.

"Yeah."

"No!" I was able to mumble. They ignored me. "Owww!"

"Sorry, man," Mick said, still digging around with what felt like tweezers, or maybe giant knitting needles.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed, more loudly.

Guillermo just laughed at my suffering. "Sounds like he's getting back to his old charming self."

"Cool!" Mick was triumphant as the fourth bullet joined the others in the pan.

"Very good. You wanna get the last one?"

"No!" I said.

"Okay," Mick said happily. "Now hold still, Josef. It'll only hurt for a minute."

"Yeah, quit being a baby," Guillermo chuckled. I was seriously gonna kill him.

It was actually more like five minutes, during which I showed off my entire repertoire of curse words. I lay there panting, but feeling the holes begin to close up, and some of my strength returning. I tried to sit up.

"Easy buddy," said Guillermo, helping me get my balance while sitting on the gurney. A bottle of blood was thrust into my hand. I downed it gratefully, holding out my hand for another. My vision was getting clearer, and I glanced over at Mick, drinking a bottle of his own.

"If I have any scars, I'm suing both your asses," I said when I could.

"You're welcome," smirked Guillermo. "Now, with that silver in your system, you'll need to take it easy and get a lot of blood and sleep the next few days."

I looked at my friends, no longer really angry with them. "Thanks, Doc. I mean it. And Mick…I don't know what to say." I was suddenly overwhelmed with the lengths these guys had gone to for me. It must be the silver talking.

"Hearing your curses of rage is thanks enough. As often as I tell you to shut up, Josef, I really hated it when you couldn't talk to me. Very creepy."

"You're tellin' me. That bitch shot me!" I said in disbelief. I still couldn't believe how thoroughly I had underestimated her.

"Well, she's dead now, so hopefully this mess is over."

"I can't wait to hear the whole story, guys, but I'd better get back to work," Guillermo said. "You both gonna be okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks, man. We owe you." Mick shook his hand.

"I'll send you my bill," Guillermo said to me.

"Hey, don't you owe me from when I staked you at the last poker game?" _Staked _meaning loaning him some money so I could then proceed to whip his ass at five-card draw.

"You can't put a price on your health."

"Ha!" I said. "We'll call it even."

The doctor grinned. "See you next Friday?"

I shook his hand then, genuinely appreciative. "Yeah. See you then."

As Guillermo was leaving, Penny Smith came into the small examination room, took one look at me, sitting up and apparently on the mend, then threw herself into my arms, raining kisses all over my face, her joyful tears dampening my cheeks. Her hands smoothed over my shoulders and chest as if reassuring herself I was okay, and I had my first heavenly feel of her long, soft hair between my fingers, tickling my bare skin.

I happened to catch Mick's shocked expression out of the corner of my eye as he witnessed her obvious affection for me. Then I forgot all about him as Penny's lips covered mine.

TBC

A/N: Please forgive any liberties I took with LA geography and the Santa Monica Pier. It was hard to find information and pictures of the place from 1969. And I hope you enjoyed a little of Guillermo's back story. It might be fun to expand on that some day. Hmmm…. Well, thanks for reading another chapter. I hope you have the time to review.

I'm doing a little "audience participation" since I need help making a decision. Click on my name and it should take you to my profile page. I've posted a poll question regarding whether Penny should be with Mick, Josef, or neither one. Please vote, and I'll use the results to write the outcome of this story. I thought this would be a fun way to direct my muse, since I was having a tough time deciding. Right now, it may seem like Josef has the advantage, but the story's not over yet! ( Or, if you prefer, just tell me your choice in your review. ) Thanks!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: It's been a busy week with family stuff, so I didn't get my usual two chapters out. The following chapter earns an "M" rating, so be warned. Thanks to those who participated in the poll or by expressing your opinion in your review. I have heard you, and the majority wishes will be granted .

Chapter 9

MICK

I brushed past the clinching couple and went out the examination room door, leaving them to…whatever. I seriously thought about leaving them stranded at the hospital, but my stupid conscience got me every time. I found a nearby waiting room and sat in a chair, my head in my hands.

_Damn. The asshole had won._

The way they were kissing, Josef had apparently won some time ago. I wondered why he hadn't gloated before now. That wasn't like him. I began to suspect that maybe he had real feelings for her. But hell, _I _had feelings for her too. Maybe the universe was working against me, telling me that I wasn't meant to be with anyone who made me happy. I didn't want to wallow in self-pity, but jeeze, ever since Coraline turned me, my life had been one disappointment after another.

I looked up to see Josef and Penny emerging from the exam room, Josef now wearing a hospital gown draped over him, leaning on Penny for support. His feet were bare. While I knew the silver bullets had weakened him, with his recent blood intake, he was well on the way to recovering completely. Certainly enough to walk on his own. I frowned. He saw me and grinned.

"You know, Mick, they need to make Armani versions of these horrid hospital gowns. This look is entirely unflattering. I would have put my own shirt back on, but Penny insisted I stay out of my wet clothes. She's worried I'll catch a chill." He chuckled indulgently. Funny how no one pointed out that my pants were wet from the thigh down and my shirt was damp from having carried Josef out of the water.

"You still have your pants on," I noted flatly.

"Well, I didn't want to offend anyone's puritan sensibilities." He kissed Penny casually on the cheek.

"Can you give us a lift, Mick?" Penny asked, her cheeks rosy. "I think we should get Josef home. The doctor said he should be resting."

I rose from the waiting room chair and walked over to them. "Sure. No problem." Josef raised an eyebrow at my morose attitude. I couldn't meet his eyes for fear that he would see how much his conquest of Penny was killing me. I took the lead then, walking back down the hospital corridor to the back door we'd snuck in through, the lovebirds trailing somewhat slowly behind.

The drive to Josef's house in the hills was a quiet one. We were all thinking of the fallout from our recent adventure, and I was thinking how unfair life was that someone like Josef, who already had everything a vampire could ask for, was also ending up with the girl. My self-pity was overwhelming me, and I couldn't wait to get them both the hell out of my car.

The guard at the gate of Josef's estate waved us through, and I stopped on the circle driveway in front of the door. Almost immediately, Josef's butler, Niles, opened the door, looking appalled at Josef's hospital attire, and generally fussing over him as he rushed to help his employer out of the car. I watched, crestfallen, as Penny was obviously planning on joining them in the house. I had hoped that I might still have a chance with her, if I could get her alone in the car as I drove her home, but it wasn't to be. She walked over to the driver's side window.

"Thanks for the lift Mick, and for rescuing Josef. I think I'll stay here awhile and make sure he's taking care of himself. Are you going to be alright?"

"I'm fine," I replied tonelessly.

"Well, you should go home and try to recover from your own wound. I'll see you tomorrow at work?" Her hand rested on my arm.

I looked straight ahead a minute, mustering the courage to look into her eyes, to see her golden hair spilling over her shoulders like a mermaid. When I finally did look at her, her face and hair framed within the window, I felt like I'd been kicked in the gut. I knew in that instant that it _wasn't_ better to have loved and lost. Of course, it had been way too soon to call it love. Intense infatuation maybe, so I suppose I'd have to look on that as a blessing. At that moment, however, her warm hand on my skin, I didn't feel very blessed.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

She smiled and squeezed my arm, then turned and went back to where Josef still stood at the door. He must have noticed my envious expression, for he didn't smirk or even smile. He nodded his thanks, and I nodded in return, understanding passing between us. He'd won her, but he was sorry I had been hurt. I gave him a slight smile to let him know I would be okay, then I gunned the Mustang and pulled out of the driveway. I needed to go home and drink some blood, with a whiskey chaser. Or two.

JOSEF

I didn't normally show my freshies where I slept, for security reasons. But just this once, I allowed Penny to escort me up the stairs and down the long hall to my freezer room. I opened the door and she looked around with interest.

"There's no bed in here." She disengaged herself from beneath my arm and walked over to the large deep freeze in the middle of the room. "Is this where you sleep?"

"Yeah. It's not common knowledge, but vampires need the cold to rejuvenate. Before there was electricity, we tended to stay in the colder parts of the world. Now, thanks to this wonderful invention, vamps like me can live in LA."

I smiled, removing the infernal hospital gown. I only flinched slightly now as my injured back muscles pulled. Penny noticed and rushed to help. She stood before me, looking into my eyes as her hands slid gently over my shoulders. The gown dropped to the floor. Her hands roamed down to my stomach, then stopped at the waistband of my slacks. My stomach muscles trembled, and I gasped a little as she loosened the button. Her eyes flew up to mine. I stilled her hand.

"Sorry, baby, I really do need to sleep. Give me a few hours, and I'm sure I'll be up to your usual standards."

She blushed, her eyes dropping from mine. I lifted her chin up with my finger and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I'll leave you to it then," she said. "Would you like me to go back to work? I'm actually wondering if I'll be getting a visit from the police soon. I imagine it won't take long to track me down from the license plate of my MG, or if they can dry out the registration forms in my glove box."

I smiled. "Don't worry. I will provide a hundred witnesses stating your car was stolen and that you were not involved in Linda's death in any way."

She still looked concerned. "What about you and Mick's involvement? Mick's superhuman strength was pretty memorable, and some may be questioning how you could have survived being trapped beneath a car under water."

I brushed her hair away from her cheeks, kissing those lips again that I could not seem to resist. "Don't worry. Everything will be taken care of, I promise. Just tell the police your car was stolen, and that's all you know. I'll take care of the rest."

Penny didn't seem like the kind of girl used to others making decisions for her, or to men in particular taking care of her.

"But—"

I stifled her doubts with a kiss. Things began to heat up, namely me, who was already not exactly in top form. Added heat was not helping my healing processes. I pulled away reluctantly, holding her at arm's length.

"You're welcome to stay here until after my nap. Niles will supply you with anything you need. And take the rest of the night off," I grinned. "I think you deserve it."

She looked at me gratefully. "I'd appreciate a place to hide out. I'm not really up to lying to the cops yet."

"Working for me, you'll get used to it. And besides, I'd love for you to be here when I wake up." I was sure to make my tone as suggestive as possible, so she would have no doubt about what I intended to do to her when I woke up.

"Okay," she said softly, her lips fluttering against my cheek. I actually thought my knees might give out beneath me. It must have been the residual silver in my blood.

"Good night, Mr. Kostan." Her whiskey voice about did me in.

"Good night, Miss Smith."

I found her asleep in my other, more human-friendly bed, her golden hair splayed over the pillows, her soft breathing filling my bedroom. I could hear the blood pumping invitingly through her veins, and the sound turned me on even more than the shapely form beneath the blankets. It was around midnight, and the sleep had restored me, but upon awakening, my need for this woman made me feel weak all over again.

I took off the silk robe I wore, and slipped beneath the covers. I was delighted to discover she was only wearing her undergarments, and I snuggled into her warm back, my hands immediately cupping her bra-encased breasts, my face buried in her luxurious hair. I couldn't wait to feel it wrapping around my body. She gave a soft gasp of surprise, which quickly turned into a moan as I played with her hardening nipples.

"Josef," she breathed.

"You were expecting someone else?" I smiled against her sweet-smelling neck.

She turned in my arms to face me, startled when she found I was naked. "I certainly wasn't expecting a naked vampire delivering my wake-up call."

"We provide nothing but personalized intimate service here at Casa del Kostan." I delighted in the quickening of her pulse at my words. Or maybe it was due to the hand that had reached between us to rest on her sensible cotton panties. I wanted to cry with joy when I felt that she was again wearing an old-fashioned garter belt to hold up sensuous silk stockings.

"My, my, my, Miss Smith. You are constantly amazing me."

Before she could come back with some witty reply, I found her mouth with my own, plunging my tongue inside to tangle passionately with hers, while my fingers slid beneath her waistband.

With my other hand, I reached behind her and unclasped her bra, maneuvering it off her shoulders and throwing the garment impatiently away. My lips left hers to trail down to her voluptuous breasts, and I groaned at the bounty before me. I found one rosy tip with my mouth, and managed to drive us both crazy as I suckled each one in turn. Her hands held my head more tightly to her, and I allowed myself to drown in her generous warmth and her kittenish mews of pleasure.

While I could never tire of her upper assets, I knew her lower region was begging for equal attention. I spent a few frustrating moments divesting her of her complicated lingerie, enjoying her giggles at my less than smooth attempts to free her. When she was at last completely nude before me, I stopped a moment to admire my good fortune. She was beautiful, all woman, unlike the Twiggy-inspired figures en vogue in recent years. Whoever had come up with that style had obviously never had a woman like Penny Smith in their bed.

I gently spread her thighs apart, kissing them as I did, smiling as they quivered with need. She gave a minor protest but I ignored it. I understood some women were self-conscious about this, but I knew I could make her forget all about any misgivings she might have. Four hundred years of practice was on my side.

I delved into her sweetness with my tongue, exploring her with licks and nibbles that had her panting and crying out within seconds. I didn't allow her to recover, but got right back to work, starting slowly until I could feel her passion rising to a fever pitch. I increased my pace, inserting two fingers inside until her hips rose up from the bed and her head thrashed from side to side in ecstasy. As she came down, her body was still shaking, a light sheen of perspiration covering her from head to toe.

By this time, I was nearly mad with wanting her, and I crawled up to cover her body completely with my own. Her arms tightened around me, and we lay there together, legs entwined, her breathing slowing as I nuzzled her neck.

"I have to have you now or I think I might just die…again." I felt her smile against my cheek, then she tensed a little against me.

"Josef…I should tell you something."

"Really? You want to talk now?" I took one delicate earlobe between my teeth. She shivered, as I intended.

She pulled away, putting her hands on my cheeks to draw my attention to her face. I looked into her slightly glazed eyes, enjoying her beauty without those damnable glasses to mar it.

"I should have told you before, but I really didn't think things would move so fast between us." She blushed like a virgin, and I smiled into her eyes.

"What is it, love?"

"I've—I've never done this before." She glanced down, suddenly very embarrassed.

"I figured I was your first vampire. Don't worry, I'll be gentle with you. And from what others have told me, the biting just enhances the experience."

Her eyes flew back to mine, widening slightly, but she plunged bravely on.

"You don't understand…" She took a deep breath, which was a little difficult with my weight upon her chest. "Josef… I'm a virgin."

Vampires have superhuman hearing, but I couldn't believe I'd heard her correctly.

"You're a what?"

"You heard me. But look, you don't have to worry. I'm ready. And I want my first time to be with you."

"You're kidding me." I'm sure this wasn't quite the understanding reaction she had expected. My brain had gone blank with her little bombshell, and an overwhelming sense of loss engulfed me. I rolled off her, laying on my back, looking numbly at the ceiling.

"No. It's true." I heard the hurt and uncertainty in her voice, but at that moment, I was too upset myself to comfort her. This changed everything. I made myself rise from the bed, then reach for my robe on the floor.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but this isn't going to work between us." I couldn't look at her, fearing I would be weakened by her beautiful body, her pleading eyes.

"Why?" That one word was full of such anguish that I winced in shared pain. I owed her some explanation, I realized. I made myself turn back to her, but was instantly sorry I had. Tears had gathered in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill down her delicate cheeks.

"There are certain rules about these things. Vampire rules. Believe me, I want nothing more than to take you in that bed in every way imaginable, but neither one of us is quite ready for what we would have to give up for a few moments of pleasure. Trust me. I'm doing what's best for both of us."

I saw her dress lying neatly over a chair, and I tossed it on the bed.

"I'll have my driver take you home. It's best you leave now. While I still have the strength to let you."

"Josef. I don't understand. What have I done wrong?" Her tears were flowing freely now, and I felt like a complete bastard.

"Nothing. It's not you. You're…perfect. I care about you, Penny. I want you more than I've wanted a woman in years. I know you must be confused, and believe me, you couldn't be more frustrated and disappointed about this than me. Just trust me and go."

I nearly groaned as she got out of bed. Seeing her phenomenal body naked before me hurt worse than when Mick had removed the bullets from my back.

"You expect me to trust you, when you don't trust me enough to tell me what's wrong?" She found her bra and I continued to torture myself by watching her put it on. She pulled on her underwear, then grabbed her dress and slipped it over her head. She automatically reached for her glasses that rested on the bedside table, and I wanted to cry myself when she perched them on her perfect nose.

"I'm sorry," I managed to say.

She stared at me, and I watched before my very eyes how those glasses brought the return of all-business Miss Smith. I felt as if all the energy had suddenly been sucked from the room, making it seem cold and barren…like her eyes. She resolutely wiped at her tears, and stepped into the professional pumps she'd worn to work earlier.

"No, _I'm _sorry, Mr. Kostan. Your personal disappointment in my physical state won't interfere with my work, however, I promise you. It was a mistake to allow our relationship to stray from being purely business, and it was just as much my fault as it was yours. If you don't mind, I'll wait by the front door for the car."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, fearing I might call her back and ruin both our lives. She left me there alone, and I sagged heavily onto the bed. It was then that I noticed her garter and stockings, tangled and forlorn at the foot of the bed. I had no doubt she'd left them there intentionally, to taunt me with what I might have had.

"Dammit," I said to myself. For the first time in my second life, I actually found myself hating being a vampire. I'd have to ask Mick for some tips on how to feel that way.

A/N: Don't worry—all will be revealed in the next chapter! In the meantime, please post your reactions; I'd love to hear from you.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thanks to all who have been reading and reviewing my story. It will be a little more difficult to find the time to write now that school has started again, so I'm trying to wrap this one up soon before things get too busy. I found it amusing that some reviewers marveled at Josef's morality for not taking Penny's virginity. Others just knew there had to be a vampire reason for his restraint. Please read on to discover the answer…

Chapter 10

MICK

I was depressed, but I showed up for work the next day, determined to avoid both Josef and Penny and keep my focus on my job. I'd been compiling a file of resumes when Nyla buzzed me.

"Mick, Mr. Kostan wants to see you in his office. Right away." Well, so much for best-laid plans.

I looked at the intercom as if it were a snake, hesitating before pressing the answer button.

"Did he say why?"

"No. But he sounded urgent."

I sighed and stood up, leaving my office with dread. "Thanks, Nyla," I said in passing.

Penny was not at her desk. I knocked on Josef's door, this time waiting before he beckoned me inside. He looked awful, but I didn't think it had anything to do with his gunshot wounds. His suit was uncharacteristically rumpled, his shoes scuffed, his short hair spiky and uncombed.

"You look like hell," I remarked, not unkindly.

He assessed my own tired appearance. "Likewise. Please. Sit."

Josef wasn't sitting. He was standing looking ready to resume his pacing mode, a habit he had when he was particularly agitated. When I was comfortably seated, he ran his hands through his hair and began his sad tale.

"As you might have seen, Miss Smith and I have…grown closer."

"Yes, Josef, I noticed. Now if you called me in here to gloat—"

"Well, normally I would have, but really, I'm a victim here as much as you."

I was annoyed. "I'm no victim, Josef. I concede that you got the girl, and if she wants you, that sorta takes me out of the running. Am I disappointed? Yeah, sure. She's an amazing woman. But you seemed to have won her fair and square. I'll do the honorable thing and step aside." His words regarding himself finally seeped in. "What do you mean _you're_ a victim?"

He laughed bitterly. "I was just about to give her the most memorable night of her life"—I rolled my eyes at that—"when we kinda hit a roadblock." He laughed at what seemed to be his own private joke.

I smirked. "And you couldn't get it up?"

"No!" he growled. He shot me a dirty look in the midst of his pacing.

"She changed her mind?"

"No! On the contrary_; I_ did."

"What the hell is wrong with you, Josef? Did you sprout morals all of a sudden?"

"Ha. No, Mick. I was ready, willing and able, and so was she, I might add. No"—and he paused dramatically—"SHE'S A FUCKIN' VIRGIN!"

"Sort of an oxy-moron, wouldn't you say?" I knew I risked instant death at my poorly timed humor, but I just couldn't resist.

"The point is," he continued more calmly, choosing to ignore me, "there are rules about these things."

Oh, so that was it. _Vampire rules_. I wanted to laugh at his predicament. "You seriously aren't following that medieval old rule, are you?"

"It's actually not just a rule, Mick. It's the law. If a vampire takes a virgin human, he or she is obligated to turn them. It was designed to increase our numbers. Innocent virgins are easier for their sires to control and manipulate. And there used to be a lot more virgins around."

"It's the twentieth century, Josef. Surely the laws are a little more relaxed these days. I mean, how can it be enforced? There are so many vampires now, how would anyone on the Council know who's fucking whom?"

He stopped his pacing and looked solemnly into my eyes. "Trust me, they'll know." I didn't even question how this could be, but Josef had been around a long time. He knew stuff.

"You're getting paranoid in your old age," I said automatically. "Anyway, what's the penalty for violating this law? Death, right? That's the Council's solution to everything."

"No, nothing so merciful. You have a choice. Your dick or your fangs. And I'm particularly attached to both, thank you."

Well, I could see his quandary now. "Wow," I said. "And death is not an option? Wow."

We were both lost in thought a moment, Josef likely wondering, as I was, which would be worse to lose.

"So, what are you going to do, Josef? Wait around for some other guy or vamp to deflower her before you can have her? That could be awhile, and she'll probably have feelings for him, so you might just be losing your shot here."

I was happy about this turn of events, I had to admit. If I couldn't have her, well neither of us could.

"How did Penny react when you wouldn't sleep with her?" I asked, suddenly concerned with how _she _might be feeling. I immediately felt guilty that that had been my second concern, behind Josef and I both losing our bet.

Josef sat down finally, my question obviously hitting a nerve. "She cried, Mick. And there was no explanation I could give that would make her think I wasn't somehow rejecting her. Losing your virginity is supposed to be a beautiful thing. I would have made it good for her. But I can't turn her. I can't take that responsibility."

I was curious. He must have turned others in the last four hundred years. "Why not?"

He hesitated a moment, seemingly about to say something, then rethinking it at the last minute. He wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Grooming a new vampire takes a lot of time and effort. I'm too focused on my business right now for that."

I knew he wasn't telling me everything, but I wasn't going to question his reasoning. I wouldn't wish becoming a vampire on anyone, even if it were their own choice. The thought of Penny losing that vitality that comes with sunlight and eating and breathing was just too sad to contemplate.

"You're doing the right thing, Josef. Both for yourself and for Penny."

"Yeah, well, why does doing the right thing always have to feel like shit?"

I laughed. "Welcome to my world."

"Did you see Penny on your way in here?" Josef asked a few minutes later.

"No. You mean, she didn't quit?"

"I don't think so. I mean, she acted liked she fully planned to continue in her position here. I guess I pissed her off or embarrassed her too much to expect her back."

"Or maybe she's late because she doesn't have a car," I guessed, wondering why I was trying to comfort him.

He smirked a little mysteriously. "No, that couldn't be it."

At about that time, there came a soft knock on Josef's door, and low and behold, the wonder that was Penny Smith opened the door before her employer could answer the knock. Josef and I instantly rose to our feet, both of us feeling the painful pleasure of her nearness.

"Josef, I have to protest—Oh, Mick." She caught sight of me and immediately scaled back her ire. "I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later, Mr. Kostan."

"No," I said, having the sudden, insane urge to put my fist through the wall, or maybe curl up into a ball and cry like a baby. "I was just leaving." Josef, of course, sensed my mood and gave me a look of pure empathy.

"I'd like to continue this discussion later, Mick," said Josef, his meaningful look belying his casual words.

"Whatever you say, boss," I replied. With a polite nod toward Penny, who stood waiting at the threshold, I gratefully vacated Josef's office.

JOSEF

It was good to see her there, in my office, all fiery-eyed and on her high-horse. She was beautiful.

"You can't buy me off, Mr. Kostan," she continued, some of the wind out of her sails upon seeing Mick.

"What happened to _Josef?"_

"Well, since we are now apparently returning to a professional relationship, I think it's best we go back to addressing one another more formally. And that's beside the point. The car, Mr. Kostan. You shouldn't have bought me the car."

I listened to the sound of her pounding heart, smelled her nervousness, and I hated feeling so uncomfortable and full of remorse because of it. It was an unusual feeling for me. I hadn't felt that way since my botched turning of Sarah—the real reason I wasn't about to try to turn Penny. I wanted to tell Mick about it, but I was so ashamed, so raw about it, even almost twenty years later, that I couldn't voice it, not even to my best friend. Now, the least I could do was buy Penny Smith a new car.

"I'm not trying to buy you. You lost your car because of me. I owe you. Really, it had nothing to do with last night," I lied.

She eyed me suspiciously. "I had insurance—"

"Well, your rates don't have to go up because of Linda now. Enjoy it. You earned it."

"Earned it? How? By disappointing you in bed?"

Now the truth was coming out—at least on her side. I rushed over to her, grasping her upper arms and looking into those giant blue eyes of hers, watery beneath the horn rims.

"You weren't a disappointment. You are wonderful. You are the sexiest, most intelligent woman I know." I devoured her shapely figure with my eyes. "And you have a body made for sex. Unfortunately, I'm not in the business of taking innocent virgins." I bit my tongue, then tried to use all my powers of persuasion to get her to understand without telling her any secrets. It was a tall order.

"Why not?" she asked. "You're a vampire. From what I know of vampires, morality usually doesn't play a role in much of anything they do."

"You wound me," I said with a small smile. "And normally, you're right. But you're special, Penny Smith. Your innocence should be a gift, for someone you really love, who really loves you. This thing with us—it's just lust, pure and simple. You don't love me. And as much as I want to bury myself inside you, I'm afraid I'm probably incapable of loving anyone." Another lie, but by the way she was looking at me, I think it was the right thing to say.

"But, you said something about vampire rules…"

"Yeah. We sort of live by the _you break it, you buy it _rule_._ And I made the mistake of letting things go too far between us. I mean, I must be losing my touch. I should have realized, seen the signs. But you bowled me over. I wasn't seeing past those luscious curves of yours."

She blushed furiously, but that didn't stop her from twisting the knife. "Are you saying it's impossible to have a romantic relationship without sex? Why can't we continue on like before?"

I dropped her arms and turned away to walk slowly back to my desk. When I'd decided how to respond, I turned back to her.

"It's impossible for me, I'm afraid. Vampires are sexual creatures. If you and I were to be as close again as we were last night, I don't think I'd be able to resist you, quite honestly. I'm only allotted one act of mercy per decade. And the sixties are about over." I smirked at my own joke.

"Do you still want to work with me though? I won't be too much of a distraction for you?" A hint of sexy vixen crept into her tone along with one raised eyebrow.

I grinned. "Oh, you'll be a distraction, all right. But I stand by my instincts about you. You're a great secretary, and someday, you'll have a secretary of your own. But you don't need to be wasting your time on me when there is someone else out there who deserves you more."

Suddenly, I was rewarded with a warm hug that almost made me change my mind, damn all the repercussions of siring a virgin. I hugged her back, inhaling her sweetness for what I knew might be the last time from this close proximity. I pulled away slightly, and pressed my lips gently to hers.

"Please stay. I already don't know what I'll do without you. God knows Mick found the best girl from the steno pool. And you're off the hook as far as being my freshie goes. For one thing, I don't think I can resist you anymore. One bite, and I'd have you on your back in no time. No, I'd better not take that risk."

She smiled, her tears only enhancing her loveliness. I handed her my handkerchief from my inside jacket pocket, and she dabbed her eyes and nose. "I guess I should thank you," she said, putting a professional distance between us. "For letting me keep my job, along with my virginity. My mother did raise me to save myself for my husband. No offense, but I somehow doubt you are husband material."

I laughed. "Truer words…I'm definitely a confirmed bachelor. And besides, I hate mothers."

She laughed too, and it was like a stake in my chest. I should send her away. Maybe to the San Francisco office, or, better yet, to New York. I normally tried to avoid subjecting myself to torture. I promised myself right then that if it became too unbearable, I'd let her go. Until then, I'd admire her from afar, and enjoy the benefits of having the best secretary in the company. She moved to leave my office, and I marveled at my own strength at resisting her. At the last minute, she turned around, and I was struck anew at her beauty. I wondered if that reaction would ever lessen.

"Thank you for the car. As much as I loved my old MG, the new one is even better. How'd you know I love green?"

"Some things, you just know," I said enigmatically, but her answering smile told me she understood exactly what I meant.

Alone in my office, I sat in my chair, leaning back and propping my feet up on the desk. I felt a fluttery sensation, like I'd just missed out on something wonderful. At least I knew that I could feel for a woman again, that I could see myself falling in love once more. No one would ever replace Sarah, but I no longer felt so dead inside. Metaphorically speaking, that is.

TBC

A/N: You like? Well, please let me know! Please log in before you review, so I can respond to you personally. Those who can't/don't for some reason, I do still appreciate hearing from you no matter what.

Just one more chapter to go on this foray into flashback land. Thanks for staying with me on this one.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: This is the second chapter I've posted this weekend, so be sure to read chapter 10 before starting this one.

Well, here it is again, the conclusion of yet another of my fics. Believe it or not, I only intended it to go on for three chapters, lol. Oh well, sometimes I get carried away.

Chapter 11: Conclusion

MICK

As Nyla's blood flowed freely into my mouth, I feasted with abandon, trying to imagine it was Penny's wrist I was suckling, Penny's soft sighs and pounding heartbeat. I made the mistake of glancing up into the woman's face, my imagination fully expecting to be looking at Penny, seeing her hair spread wildly around her naked body. But, of course, it was only Nyla, fully clothed. Not to say that Nyla wasn't very lovely, and certainly very tasty, but she was no Penny Smith.

I withdrew my fangs from her flesh and licked the wounds to speed their healing. Nyla looked dazed, and I could sense her arousal. Mine, unfortunately, had faded when I realized I wasn't feeding from Penny.

"Are you okay?" I asked her gently.

"Yes," she drawled, eyes still closed as she sat in the chair beside mine in my office. Her dazed green eyes opened slowly, evaluating me with a smile.

"You're much gentler than Mr. Martin was. You made sure I felt comfortable, and I really appreciate that."

I smiled a little sadly. "I'm glad." I handed her a Kleenex from my desk, folding it and holding it to the twin puncture wounds. She took over with her other hand, then caught my eye a little shyly.

"Was it good for you?" Her face turned as red as her hair at the usual meaning of that phrase occurred to her. "I mean, did I uh, taste alright?"

I patted her cheek. "You are very sweet, Nyla, in every way."

There was a sudden, staccato knock at the door, and I sensed Josef before he opened it, and, of course, before I could tell him to come in. He'd likely smelled the blood through the door, but couldn't resist interrupting dinner.

He assessed the situation accurately and grinned at us both, leaning casually against the door frame.

"Glad to see you two kids are getting along so well. Please, don't stop on my account."

"We just finished," I said, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

I helped Nyla get to her feet, steadying her should the blood loss have adversely affected her.

"I'm fine," she said gratefully. "I'm used to it. I'll just go have some orange juice and I'll be right as rain in no time."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Thank _you,_ Nyla."

She nodded and blushed as she moved past Josef. "Mr. Kostan. Nice to see you, sir."

"Always a pleasure, Nyla," he said genuinely. He shut the door behind her and walked around me to sit in my desk chair. I raised an eyebrow at him. You'd think he'd let me sit in my own chair, the control freak. I sat with an irritated huff in one of the chairs across from my desk.

"What do you want, Josef?"

"Touchy, touchy. Someone got up on the wrong side of the freezer this morning. I came to ask how you are liking your job here."

I paused a minute, seriously pondering how to answer that. On one hand, if I had to read one more resume, I thought I might stake myself. On the other, Josef was paying me at least ten times what an ex-medic turned busboy was worth. I was able to continue living in Coraline's house and had saved enough money to go to night school. I'd decided after the first week that the money more than made up for any monotony I might be experiencing.

"The job is great, Josef, really. No complaints."

"Uh-huh," he said doubtfully. "I never really took you for a paper shuffler. Be honest, Mick. This is important. I'm not gonna fire you."

I eyed him a moment, always waiting for the trick in his words. If you want to be friends with Josef Kostan, you have to remember that he always has some angle working, even with his friends.

"Honestly? The job is a little repetitive and not too exciting. But it more than pays the bills and I'm sincerely grateful. I'll take work like this any day over cleaning up after juvenile delinquents."

He chuckled. "Just what I thought. Well, I have a new job for you, if you're up to it."

I perked up at that. "Sure. I'm game for anything."

"How would you like to be my new head of security? I had to clean house recently, in light of the catastrophic failure of security surrounding my recent abduction. I need someone I can trust implicitly. My personal safety is paramount to me."

"How many people on your security detail did you kill, Josef?" I asked suspiciously.

"Don't worry your pretty hippy-haired head over it. You want the job or not?"

I considered this a minute. "Will I be able to implement my own ideas without too much interference from you?"

"Within reason."

"Okay. That actually seems more up my alley. And I'd like to start that night school we talked about. I'm thinking that it might be cool to get my private investigator's license."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I think that would be good for you, Mick. You could set your own hours, and help the humans like you've always wanted to. God knows they need all the help they can get. So, your final act as personnel director is to find your own replacement."

Both of us suddenly sensed a presence outside my door. We paused our conversation and listened to the bedroom voice of one Penny Smith, chatting animatedly with Nyla.

"You think we'll ever get over her," I asked seriously.

"Mick, you get as old as me and you stop having regrets."

Well, I didn't believe that for a minute.

"You need to file her away into the _What Might Have Been _category_,_ and get on with your life," said Josef in that wise old vampire tone that annoyed the hell out of me. "Which leads me to the addition of a new rule to my own continuing list of laws for self-preservation. As of now, I will no longer sleep, or attempt to sleep, with my freshies."

"So, where does this fit in on that infamous list? Somewhere between _don't sleep with virgins _, _don't ever marry, _and _never wear white after Labor Day?" _I teased.

He eyed my clothing with disdain, obviously disapproving of my current foray into the wondrous world of Nehru jackets.

"You'd do well to take some fashion advice, my friend. Good God, I can't wait for the sixties to be over! The 1970's can't get any worse than this past disaster of a decade."

"Hey, a lot of cool things came out of the sixties. Great music, for one. And you gotta admit, the free love movement has been a great thing."

He laughed. "Well, you've got a point there. But getting back to music. I'm not too sure I like this new jazz-rock fusion crap…" 

And so we embarked upon another pointless debate, which killed another hour when we both should have been working. Josef Kostan was my port in the storm, my brother despite the years that divided us. He would always be there to remind me of what was truly important, to make me forget the troubles of the world, to cheer me up when no one else could. As for women, well they would come and go, and maybe some might even attempt to come between us, but I would never love a woman more than I loved our friendship, of that I was a hundred percent certain. That was one rule I know I could find easy to live with.

JOSEF

After my stimulating meeting with Mick, I went back to my own office, nodding with forced professionalism at Penny, busy at her desk. She smiled softly and nodded back.

I was worried about Mick. I mean, I could find a woman to fulfill my needs, but Mick needed more than just a blood bag. He needed someone to challenge him, to pull him out of the doldrums he tended to fall into when the life of a vampire overwhelmed him. I picked up the phone and opened my address book.

The overseas call took a few minutes, and I talked to a couple of different operators before the sound of a breathy woman's voice picked up at the other end.

"Coraline, this is Josef. I think it's high time you got your ass on a plane and came back to LA, don't you? Your husband is a basket case without you…"

EPILOGUE

_Los Angeles, 2010_

MICK

I walked past Josef's gorgeous young secretary, and she smiled and buzzed me in. The daisies I held smelled sweet and fresh, just like the girl I remembered from forty years before who used to sit at that very desk. I opened the door and went in, my eyes immediately finding the girl in question, sitting at one end of the massive oak conference table dominating the office. Now, however, the girl had been replaced by an equally lovely, mature woman of sixty-five. She smiled and rose spryly to her feet as I walked over to embrace her, then presented her with my gift.

"Mick!" She breathed into the bouquet. "You know, my mother always grew these in the backyard. They bring back such wonderful memories."

Of course I remembered that story from long ago. The years had been more than kind to Penny Smith. She'd retained her shapely figure, though a little fuller now since bearing her human husband three children. Her once golden locks were now platinum blonde, falling to her shoulders in a chic bob.

"I can't believe you are actually retiring," I said, genuinely surprised. Ten years spent as Josef's loyal secretary, and she'd moved up the ladder to management, then, after twenty years with Kostan Industries, she became the president of the San Francisco office, a position she'd held since 1990. She'd actually held down the fort in California during the years Josef had gone underground in Europe before re-emerging as his own long-lost son, returning to take over his deceased "father's" place as owner and CEO.

She looked at me, her blue eyes sparkling, the horn rims long since replaced by stylish Chanel frames. "You haven't changed at all, dear Mick. Still too sexy for your own good. You know, I used to have the most amazing crush on you."

I laughed and kissed her cheek. "If I had only known…"

Josef, at the other end of the table, cleared his throat humorously. I felt slightly embarrassed that I had forgotten myself in a room full of board members. But then, she'd always had that effect on me.

"Let's take a break, gentlemen," he said to the room at large. The vampires dispersed, smirking at my lovesick display toward a woman they must have seen only as an attractive grandma.

Josef joined us. "Hey, you moving in on my girl?"

"As I recall, she was never actually _your girl_."

She reveled in the attention, setting the flowers lovingly near her place at the table. "Boys, you need to just let me go. You have girls of your own now."

"No one could ever take your place in our hearts," Josef said suavely, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles gallantly. I rolled my eyes.

"Penny never did fall for that load of bull," I grinned.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied mischievously, "Mr. Kostan has always had more than his fair share of charm. My late husband Charlie was so much like him."

Josef gave me an ironic lift of an eyebrow. "See?" he mouthed.

"Anyway, Josef has invited me to your big retirement party next week. I hope you'll save me a dance."

"You bet I will. And bring your lovely Beth. Josef has told me all about her."

"I know she'll love to meet the famous Penny Smith. The one that got away…"

"Ha. Either one of you could have had me in an instant if you'd chosen to overlook that stupid vampire law."

Josef and I looked at each other in shock. "You knew…" Josef sputtered.

"Sure, I knew. I made it my business to find out all the laws and customs of vampires as soon as I could. I knew if I had to work with you people, I needed to know what I was truly dealing with. I was relieved to find that you were a stickler for the law, Josef. I told you from the beginning I didn't want to sleep my way to the top."

He laughed heartily. "I knew there was a reason I hired you."

"Yeah, because I found her first," I inserted in mock annoyance.

"Boys—"

Josef smirked, then leaned in to whisper wickedly in her ear. "You know, you're not a virgin anymore…"

She caught my eye and winked, then told Josef: "You couldn't keep up with me now, old man. Besides, you're engaged now to the lovely Simone."

The three of us stood looking at each other with soft smiles, the years falling away as we regretted anew what might have been. It was a painful reminder of the cost of immortality.

"May we escort you to lunch?" I asked. Josef and I stood on either side of her. She locked arms with both of us gratefully and we all walked gingerly toward the door.

"It's been a long while since such charming gentlemen escorted me anywhere," she said, a hint of her old sensuality glinting in her eyes. "I just hope I'm not on the menu."

"There you go again," Josef grinned, "playing hard to get."

Her whiskey laugh still brought tingles down my spine.

THE END

A/N: Thanks so much for those of you who read this story. I'm so excited about the new readers I've picked up, not to mention the fact that for only the second time, I snagged over 100 reviews! Woo-hoo! As you can see, I did follow the results of the informal poll I took, in which the majority requested that neither of our beloved vamps get Penny. Hopefully my ending was satisfying to everyone.

I don't know when my muse will strike again for my next story. But I promise, I have more stories to tell. I'll see you all again soon…


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